Trace Element Uptake by Carbonate Minerals

Carbonates are a group of widely occurring minerals, with a variety of applications in natural sciences and engineering. Incorporation of trace and minor elements (impurities) into carbonates as well as isotope fractionation provides invaluable information on the conditions of mineral formation, which is actively used in geological and oceanographical disciplines. An important application in environmental sciences is the remediation potential of carbonates (e.g., the ability to sequester hazardous elements into the crystal lattice and retain it there for up to millions of years). The role of impurities in changing the physical properties of carbonate minerals (e.g., lattice strength and surface wettability) has important implications in geological and petroleum engineering.

This Special Issue focuses on the evaluation of impurity incorporation and isotope fractionation during the crystallization of carbonate minerals via nucleation/growth, recrystallization, phase transformation, and diffusion. We especially welcome submissions where incorporation mechanisms are discussed, as it has extensively been shown that not only temperature itself, but also other temperature-dependent parameters (i.e., aqueous speciation of the growth media and crystal growth rate) strongly affect the degree of partitioning. Studies on the incorporation of cations and anions to carbonate minerals at ambient and hydrothermal conditions are encouraged for submission.

Dr. Rinat Gabitov
Dr. Jeremy Weremeichik
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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