Interaction between Life and Mineral, Co-evolution and Surface Environment: Challenge for Geohistorical Mineralogy—Significance in the 200-Year History of Mineralogy from Haüy and Perspective for Future—

Abstract

 One of the most significant developing fields in mineralogy during the last quarter century involves interactions between microbes and minerals in the environment. A mineral evolution has been suggested. The fundamentals of biominerals, interactions between biosphere and minerals, and expanding knowledge of the biosphere are presented. Interactions between minerals and microbes are closely related to the evolution of the Earth's surface environment, and they suggest keys for solving environmental problems on the Earth. They are also related to the search for extraterrestrial life. This review sketches a brief history of mineralogy, referring to TEM methods, concerning regularity, irregularity, and interactions of minerals.