Mineral-Fluid Interactions and Geochemical Transformations Across Surface and Subsurface Systems

Mineral-fluid interactions play a critical role in shaping both natural landscapes and engineered subsurface systems. In the past decade, significant attention has been devoted to understanding how chemical, physical, and biological processes influence mineral stability, transformation, and the mobility of trace elements across a range of environments, from soils and sediments to groundwater reservoirs. However, predicting the outcomes of these interactions remains challenging due to the complexity of coupled processes and the variable conditions present in both natural and managed settings. Ongoing scientific debates focus on the mechanisms governing contaminant fate, mineral transformation under biogeochemical gradients, and the feedback loops between microbial activity and geochemical cycling. Recent studies highlight the importance of multidisciplinary approaches—combining mineralogy, environmental chemistry, hydrology, and microbiology—to unravel the drivers of mineral reactivity and their environmental implications.Despite notable advances, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding the long-term evolution of minerals and their interaction with fluids, particularly under engineered scenarios such as enhanced oil recovery, CO₂ sequestration, and artificial aquifer recharge. There is a growing consensus that bridging the divide between environmental geochemistry and subsurface engineering is essential for solving pressing challenges related to ecosystem health, resource recovery, and contaminant remediation. Few studies to date comprehensively address the influence of mineral-fluid interactions on contaminant mobility, transformation dynamics, and the sustainability of engineered interventions. A deeper understanding in this area is vital for improving models of contaminant transport, predicting mineral stability under dynamic conditions, and informing best practices in reservoir management and environmental protection.This Research Topic aims to advance fundamental and applied knowledge of mineral-fluid interactions by encouraging multidisciplinary research that integrates environmental and engineering perspectives. Key objectives include elucidating the chemical, physical, and biological processes controlling mineral reactivity, assessing the fate of trace metals and contaminants, and exploring mineralogical controls on resource recovery and remediation strategies. By fostering collaborations across geochemistry, hydrogeology, microbiology, and subsurface engineering, this topic seeks to generate new insights into how minerals shape the behavior of natural and engineered systems.The scope of this Research Topic encompasses studies focused on both natural and engineered environments, with particular interest in processes at the interface ofenvironmental health and resource management. We welcome submissions employing experimental, modeling, or field-based approaches. To gather further insights in these areas, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Mineral stability and transformation in soils, sediments, and groundwater systems- Chemical and biological drivers of contaminant mobility and fate- Geochemical processes during enhanced oil recovery and CO₂ sequestration- Mineralogical controls on environmental remediation and risk assessment- Coupled biogeochemical cycles affecting subsurface ecosystem services- Advances in analytical methods and modeling of mineral-fluid systems- Implications of subsurface hydrogen generation and storage- Conventional and unconventional geothermal systems- Geochemical interactions in underground energy storage formulations Topic editors: Eleni Gianni, Robert Czarnota Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79301/mineral-fluid-interactions-and-geochemical-transformations-across-surface-and-subsurface-systems