From the Editors 2025

This issue of Elements is dedicated to the fascinating topic of mineral nucleation and growth, in which various authors explore the emerging ideas of non-classical nucleation processes and how they are altering our classical view of mineral formation processes. Contributors emphasize how these processes, including precursor phases, amorphous intermediates, and multi-step pathways, challenge conventional models of mineral formation. Evidence both from experimental studies and theoretical models is presented, showing that nucleation often occurs via disordered or non-equilibrium states, where clusters or aggregates of molecules form before evolving into well-ordered crystalline structures.