Coupled dissolution and precipitation at mineral–fluid interfaces

•Coupled dissolution–precipitation (CDR) is a mechanism for phase transformation.•CDR is controlled by the properties of a fluid layer at the mineral surface.•Recent advance in analysis and sample preparation provides evidence supporting CRD.•Development of fluid pathways is critical in the progress of CDR reactions.•CDR is a universal mechanism of reequilibration in fluid–mineral interaction.

Reactions occurring at mineral–fluid interfaces are important in all geochemical processes and essential for the cycling of elements within the Earth. Understanding the mechanism of the transformation of one solid phase to another and the role of fluids is fundamental to many natural and industrial processes. Problems such as the interaction of minerals with CO2-saturated water, the durability of nuclear waste materials, the remediation of polluted water, and mineral reactions that can destroy our stone-based cultural heritage, are related by the common feature that a mineral assemblage in contact with a fluid may be replaced by a more stable assemblage.