Announcements

Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) has launched the “Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry” Section. This Section covers various interactions of minerals with their environments and ecosystems. These include the contact of minerals with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere in natural and engineered systems, leading to mineral formation, alteration, and solubilization. Examples of relevant application areas are natural processes such as weathering, the biogeochemical cycling of elements and sedimentation, as well as contamination and related risk analysis. Moreover, engineering applications, such as CO₂ sequestration, bioleaching, geoengineering, remediation, and waste management, are also considered.

We are pleased to present the 2022 Editor’s Choice Articles, a carefully curated list of high-quality articles from the “Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry” Section:

“Petrographic Record and Conditions of Expansive Hydration of Anhydrite in the Recent Weathering Zone at the Abandoned Dingwall Gypsum Quarry, Nova Scotia, Canada”
by Adrian Jarzyna, Maciej Bąbel, Damian Ługowski and Firouz Vladi
Minerals 2022, 12(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12010058
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/1/58

“Aquatic Ecological Risk of Heavy-Metal Pollution Associated with Degraded Mining Landscapes of the Southern Africa River Basins: A Review”
by Kennedy O. Ouma, Agabu Shane and Stephen Syampungani
Minerals 2022, 12(2), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020225
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/2/225

“Contrasting Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in a Hypersaline Microbial Mat and Their Influence on Biomarker Preservation (Kiritimati, Central Pacific)”
by Yan Shen, Pablo Suarez-Gonzalez and Joachim Reitner
Minerals 2022, 12(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020267
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/2/267

“Development and Description of a Composite Hydrogeologic Framework for Inclusion in a Geoenvironmental Assessment of Undiscovered Uranium Resources in Pliocene- to Pleistocene-Age Geologic Units of the Texas Coastal Plain”
by Andrew P. Teeple, Kent D. Becher, Katherine Walton-Day, Delbert G. Humberson and Tanya J. Gallegos
Minerals 2022, 12(4), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12040420
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/4/420

“Stratigraphy, Paleogeography and Depositional Setting of the K–Mg Salts in the Zechstein Group of Netherlands—Implications for the Development of Salt Caverns”
by Alexandre Pichat
Minerals 2022, 12(4), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12040486
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/4/486

“Mining and Metallurgical Waste as Potential Secondary Sources of Metals—A Case Study for the West Balkan Region”
by Robert Šajn, Ivica Ristović and Barbara Čeplak
Minerals 2022, 12(5), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050547
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/547

“Restoration Insights Gained from a Field Deployment of Dithionite and Acetate at a Uranium In Situ Recovery Mine”
by Paul Reimus, James Clay and Noah Jemison
Minerals 2022, 12(6), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12060711
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/6/711

“Evolution of Sulfidic Legacy Mine Tailings: A Review of the Wheal Maid Site, UK”
by Verity Fitch, Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Richard Crane and Laura Newsome
Minerals 2022, 12(7), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12070848
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/7/848

“Quaternary Glauconitization on Gulf of Guinea, Glauconite Factory: Overview of and New Data on Tropical Atlantic Continental Shelves and Deep Slopes”
by Pierre Giresse
Minerals 2022, 12(7), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12070908
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/7/908

“Paleoenvironmental Conditions and Factors Controlling Organic Carbon Accumulation during the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous, Egypt: Organic and Inorganic Geochemical Approach”
by Ahmed Mansour, Thomas Gentzis, Ibrahim M. Ied, Mohamed S. Ahmed and Michael Wagreich
Minerals 2022, 12(10), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101213
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/10/1213

“Coastal Environment Impact on the Construction Materials of Anfushi’s Necropolis (Pharos’s Island) in Alexandria, Egypt”
by Abdelrhman Fahmy, Thomas Gentzis, Ibrahim M. Ied, Mohamed S. Ahmed and
Michael Wagreich
Minerals 2022, 12(10), 1235; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101235
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/10/1235

“Microbial Mat Stratification in Travertine Depositions of Greek Hot Springs and Biomineralization Processes”
by Christos Kanellopoulos, Vasiliki Lamprinou, Artemis Politi, Panagiotis Voudouris, Ioannis Iliopoulos, Maria Kokkaliari, Leonidas Moforis and Athena Economou-Amilli
Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12111408
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/11/1408

“Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of the H-Pit of the Chatree Gold Deposit, Central Thailand: A Case Study for Assessment of Acid Rock Drainage and Heavy Metal Sources”
by Sirawit Kaewpaluk, Abhisit Salam, Thitiphan Assawincharoenkij, Takayuki Manaka, Sopit Poompuang and Surachat Munsamai
Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12111446
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/11/1446

“The Role of Microorganisms in the Nucleation of Carbonates, Environmental Implications and Applications”
by Ana Robles-Fernández, Camila Areias, Daniele Daffonchio, Volker C. Vahrenkamp and Mónica Sánchez-Román
Minerals 2022, 12(12), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121562
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/12/1562

“Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Dry Stack Tailings Disposal Schemes: A Case Study in Northern China”
by Kun Wang, Zheng Zhang, Liyi Zhu, Xiuzhi Yang, Miao Chen and Chao Yang
Minerals 2022, 12(12), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121603
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/12/1603

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted to Minerals. We would appreciate it if you would circulate this document among your colleagues and network.

Furthermore, the following opportunities for collaboration may be of interest:

Submitting a manuscript:
This Section is currently open for submissions. Papers may be submitted via the following link: https://susy.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload?journal=minerals.

Launching a Special Issue:
You have the opportunity to propose hot topics and edit a Special Issue together with experts in the field: https://www.mdpi.com/journalproposal/sendproposalspecialissue/minerals.

Joining the Editorial Board:
If you are an active researcher in the field of environmental mineralogy and biogeochemistry, and are interested in joining the Editorial Board, please do not hesitate to get in touch (minerals@mdpi.com).

Minerals Editorial Office