The concept of Mineral Evolution was developed by Robert M. Hazen. It expresses changes in the Earth's minerals during the evolution of the Earth. It provides a means of studying the coevolution of the geosphere and the biosphere.

The program at Johns Hopkins University is a collaboration with the Carnegie Institution of Washington and emphasizes changes in minerals linked to changes in the Earth's near surface environment through time.

Examples of this work are included in Hazen et al. (2008, 2009, 2011).