Description

In the late 18th century, Neptunists and Plutonists had controversial opinions about the formation of the Earth and its lithological units. The former believed that rocks formed from the crystallization of minerals in the early Earth’s oceans, the latter believed that rocks were formed in fire. Both theories ignored the importance of continuous water-rock interaction processes at Earth´s surface and underground, which can enhance and define the type of volcanic activity, can cause the formation of secondary hydrothermal minerals and respective ore deposits, or simply alter the natural landscape by weathering. Although not visible at first glance, water-rock interaction plays a significant role in the daily life of humans. Many primary necessities of modern society, such as the availability of high-quality drinking water, the supply of fossil fuel and renewable energy types, the abundance of precious minerals, the remediation of contaminated natural sites, and the reconnaissance of geological hazards require a profound understanding of physicochemical processes interacting between liquid, solid and gas phases.