Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Soil and Sediment

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 321

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
Interests: soil chemistry; micronutrient; arsenic; heavy metals; radionuclides; risk assessment; machine learning

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Guest Editor

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Guest Editor
Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle (UON), University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: environmental nanometerials; environmental remediation; environmental analytical chemistry; phytoremediation; risk analysis
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Guest Editor
Department Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Campus Cartuja, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Interests: soil mineral provenance; clay minerals; soil mica; soil quartz; geochemistry; lanthanides (rare earth elements); aeolian mineral particles; soil iron oxides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil and sediment systems are fundamental components of global geochemical cycles, playing critical roles in shaping environmental quality, ecosystem resilience, and human health. Across diverse landscapes, their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics regulate the mobility, bioavailability, and long-term fate of nutrients and contaminants, including potentially toxic elements, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants such as microplastics, pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Understanding these complex interactions under dynamic environmental conditions is crucial for combating pollution, ensuring food security, and advancing the sustainable management of natural resources.

Building upon the growing interest in this area, Minerals is devoting a Special Issue to “Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Soil and Sediment”. This Special Issue will focus on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to the following:

  • Geochemical processes and mineral transformations in soils and sediments;
  • Contaminant dynamics, speciation, and bioavailability in soil and sediment systems;
  • Interactions between soil minerals and organic matter and microbes;
  • The role of soil and sediment mineralogy in controlling contaminant fate and behaviour;
  • Impact of climate change on geochemistry and mineralogy of soils and sediments;
  • Advanced analytical and modelling approaches for soil and sediment characterization;
  • Soil and sediment remediation and management strategies;
  • Emerging contaminants in soil and sediment environments;
  • Nutrient dynamics and soil fertility in relation to mineralogy;
  • Mineralogy and geochemistry of mine sites, mine wastes, and tailings: implications for remediation strategies;
  • Mineral–microbe interactions: mechanisms and environmental impacts;
  • Microbial processes in abandoned mine sites: biogeochemical transformations and remediation potential;
  • Interactions between soil minerals, organic matter, and contaminants;
  • Impact of legacy wastes from resource exploitation, storage, and inappropriate disposal.

We invite researchers working on these and related topics to submit original research articles, reviews, and case studies for consideration in this Special Issue. By bringing together diverse contributions from the global scientific community, this Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of the geochemistry and mineralogy of soils and sediments, supporting informed decision-making for environmental protection, pollution mitigation, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Dr. Jajati Mandal
Prof. Dr. Andrew S. Hursthouse
Dr. Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman
Prof. Dr. Juan Manuel Martín-García
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

  • soil geochemistry
  • sediment mineralogy
  • heavy metals
  • organic contaminants
  • nutrients
  • remediation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 8718 KB  
Article
Distribution of Metals in Soils Surrounding Tailing Flotation Storages in Copper-Bearing Areas in Lower Silesia
by Agata Duczmal-Czernikiewicz, Natalia Hoska, Maciej Swęd and Marcin Siepak
Minerals 2025, 15(9), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15090992 - 18 Sep 2025
Abstract
One of the most critical issues in soil science is the content of metals and their environmental toxicity. This is especially relevant to soil contamination by metals in industrial and postindustrial areas. The region of Lower Silesia, known for exploitation of Cu and [...] Read more.
One of the most critical issues in soil science is the content of metals and their environmental toxicity. This is especially relevant to soil contamination by metals in industrial and postindustrial areas. The region of Lower Silesia, known for exploitation of Cu and Ag deposits, along with Zn and Pb, is significantly affected by metal contamination near post-flotation waste facilities in both old and new copper districts. Metal concentrations in soils adjacent to abandoned tailings storage facilities in the copper district were measured to identify factors influencing contamination in agricultural and technogenic soils. Concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc were determined in 111 samples taken from nine soil profiles down to a depth of 1.60 m. Significant variation was observed in metal content: in agricultural soils, copper reached up to 2800 mg/kg, lead up to 150 mg/kg, and zinc up to 65 mg/kg. In forest soils, concentrations reached as high as 1700 mg/kg for copper, 1800 mg/kg for lead, and up to 1100 mg/kg for zinc. The metal content increased with proximity to the tailings storage. Soil profiles closest to the emission source showed the highest metal concentrations, while concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Zn decreased with distance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Soil and Sediment)
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