Mineral-Scale Textural and Microgeochemical Insights Into Plate-Scale Petrologic and Metallogenic Processes

Mineral microtexture and microgeochemistry has emerged as a transformative approach in the field of mineralogy and geochemistry, providing unprecedented insights into mineral-scale chemical heterogeneities, textural evolution, petrogenetic histories of rocks, and metallogenic processes of critical mineral deposits. By coupling high spatial resolution in-situ geochemical analytical tools—such as EPMA, LA-ICP-MS, SIMS, and APT (atom probe tomography)—with petrogenetic and metallogenic analyses, researchers can reconstruct geologic processes that occur across scales, from atomic lattice diffusion, to mineral growth, and to magmatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal system evolution. Despite major advances in the past decade, significant gaps remain in quantitatively linking microscale geochemical data to large-scale geological processes, including lithospheric or crustal recycling, mantle metasomatism and melting, crustal differentiation, orogenesis from plate subduction to exhumation, melt/fluid–rock interactions, and large-scale mineralization of critical mineral deposits. Integrating observations across scales remains one of the central challenges in modern geochemistry. This Research Topic aims to bring together multidisciplinary contributions that harness mineral-scale and microtextural information to constrain geological histories and chemical processes operating in Earth’s interior and shallow environments. Mineral microtexture and microgeochemistry offer a direct window into the magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes throughout the plate tectonic cycle, from initial mid-ocean ridge spreading and oceanic crust formation, through subduction and continental collision, to eventual lithospheric delamination, deep mantle recycling, and exhumation. The main goal is to refine our understanding of how geochemical signals recorded at the mineral microscale can be best extracted and interpreted to unravel dynamic geological systems. We seek studies that address key questions such as: What significant geologic information can we obtain from mineral texture and geochemistry? What geologic events / processes can place or remove fingerprints on minerals? What are potential robust minerals that can preserve complex multi-stage geologic histories without being homogenized? What novel in-situ techniques can be developed to best reveal mineral growth information? How can petrological modeling and microscale data integration advance predictive frameworks for crustal, mantle and plate-tectonic processes? Submissions that bridge analytical innovation with conceptual modeling are particularly encouraged. The scope of this Research Topic encompasses the full spectrum of microscale geochemical investigations that connect mineral-scale processes with broader geodynamic, plate-tectonic and environmental frameworks. We especially welcome contributions employing novel analytical approaches, cross-disciplinary interpretations, or model integration. To gather further insights in this area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: Advancements of in-situ microanalysis on trace elements and isotopes Mineral–melt and mineral–fluid interactions at the microscale and their implications for petrogenesis and metallogenesis Textural and chemical (elemental and isotopic) evolution in magmatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal systems in Earth and planetary environments Quantitative modeling of diffusion and reaction processes in minerals Development of novel mineral geochemical proxies for deciphering diverse petrologic and metallogenic processes Integration of microanalytical data into macroscale geochemical, petrologic and metallogenic models Implications of mineral microgeochemistry for plate tectonics Topic editors: Peng Jiang, Kazuhide Nagashima, Zhaoshan Chang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83891/mineral-scale-textural-and-microgeochemical-insights-into-plate-scale-petrologic-and-metallogenic-processes