Chapter 13. Reactions between minerals and aqueous solutions
E. Ruiz-Agudo, C. V. Putnis and C. Rodrííuez-Navarro
Kinetics of reactions between minerals and solutions govern a wide range of natural and technological processes including weathering and soil formation, nutrient availability, biomineralization, acid mine-drainage, the fate of contaminants, or nuclear waste disposal.
Theoretical and experimental studies performed in recent decades have changed our understanding of the mechanisms of mineral–solution reactions significantly. This chapter reviews recent results and advances in terms of non-classical mineral-growth
processes (pre-nucleation clusters, liquid and amorphous precursor phases or the occurrence and participation of nanoclusters as building blocks in the growth process) as well as other mineral–solution equilibration processes occurring by interface-coupled dissolution-precipitation reactions, which lead to replacement of the original mineral assemblage.
Finally, it is important to stress that the main purpose of this contribution is to ignite research exploring the causes and consequences of cooling and decompression-driven crystal growth kinetics in order to appreciate in full the evolutionary paths of volcanic rocks and interpret the textural and compositional characteristics of their mineral constituents.
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