Editorial: Structural processes, petrogenesis, mineralization, and geochronology in the earth’s crust

Economic geology focuses on understanding the formation and distribution of mineral resources within the Earth's crust, which need a comprehensive understanding of the factors controlling ore body formation. The continental crust constitutes a dynamic system where structural deformation, magmatism, fluid-rock interaction and mineralization are inherently interconnected, recording the long-term crustal evolution and resource formation (Cawood et al., 2016;Hawkesworth et al., 2016).Structural processes govern fluid flow, magma emplacement and accumulation of ore-forming elements, establishing the fundamental framework for crustal evolution (Sylvester, 1998;Richards, 2003;Cox, 2005;Chen et al., 2020). Mineralization results from the concentration and precipitation of metals, driven by deformation, fluid-rock interaction, and thermo-chemical perturbations mostly during episodic tectonic switching, where structural reactivation and magmatic-hydrothermal transitions drive metal precipitation ( (Kerrich et al., 2000;Hou et al., 2021). Recent studies have highlighted the importance of structural processes, influencing the redistribution of hydrothermal fluids and precipitation of ore. However, there is still a need for more detailed investigations into the spatial and temporal relationships between mineralization, structural zones, and host rocks to fully decipher the origin of ore deposits.Petrogenesis research elucidates magma sources, differentiation mechanisms and mantle-crust interaction, which govern the geochemical nature of magmas and their potential for metal enrichment (Pribnow and Sass, 2001;Müntener and Ulmer, 2018;Clemens et al., 2020). High-precision geochronology provides absolute temporal constraints on tectonic events, magmatic evolution, and mineralization (Bowring and Schmitz, 2003;Collins et al., 2016;Groves et al., 2018), significantly enhancing the understanding of their genetic links (Zack and Kronz, 2019;Cooke et al., 2020;Li et al., 2022;Wang et al., 2022). Therefore, the research topic aims to advance the understanding of crustal evolution and metallogenesis by integrating the study of structural processes, petrogenesis, mineralization, and geochronology. This research topic includes twelve papers, the contents of which are summarized below.