Geochemical Controls on the Generation and Transformation of Carbon in Rocks
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 November 2025 | Viewed by 167
Special Issue Editors
Interests: geobiology; nano-geochemistry; biosignatures; co-evolution of environment and life on early Earth
Interests: thermodynamics; structural geology; mineralogy; petrology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Carbon-bearing rocks, such as carbonaceous shale, coal, carbonate and graphite-bearing metasedimentary rocks, play a pivotal role in the Earth’s geochemical cycles, which influence various processes; these include the deep carbon cycle, surface weathering, biomineralization, and climate change. These rocks form in a wide range of geological settings, from the high-pressure, high-temperature conditions in the Earth’s mantle to the low-temperature, near-surface environments in sedimentary basins. It is crucial to understand the geochemical factors that control the generation and transformation of carbon in these rocks in order to determine the complex interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere; this would have significant implications for the search of potential life and habitable environments on early Earth and beyond. This Special Issue aims to compile recent research on the formation, stability, and transformation of carbon in rocks under various geochemical conditions.
This Special Issue thus welcomes the submission of original contributions that explore the geochemical factors governing the generation and transformation of carbon in rocks, including but not limited to, the following: (1) the mineralogy and geochemistry of carbon-bearing rocks; (2) carbon isotope systematics in carbon-bearing rocks; (3) kinetic controls on the formation and growth of carbon-bearing rocks in Earth’s multi-sphere system; (4) biotic and abiotic processes in the generation and transformation of carbon in rocks; (5) the role of carbon-bearing minerals in deep-surface carbon cycling and climate change on Earth; (6) mineral phase transformations and carbon sequestration during carbon storage processes; (7) mineral evolution and environmental geochemical responses in coal and organic matter systems; and (8) advances in analytical techniques for the in situ and high-resolution analysis of carbon-bearing rocks.
Dr. Zixiao Guo
Prof. Dr. Glenn Stracher
Dr. Yu Zhang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- metasedimentary rocks
- coal including coal fires
- carbonaceous shale
- carbonate
- carbon isotope systematics
- origin and evolution of life
- global carbon cycling
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
