Constraining the mechanisms of primary evaporite deposition is essential for deciphering the paragenetic evolution of complex mineral suites and their subsequent structural overprinting.  Halokinesis drives the coupling between evaporite sequences and syn‑deformational sedimentation, forming complex salt structures observed in outcrops and subsurface images. Evaporite basins are central to the energy transition and extend beyond oil and natural gas reservoirs to geothermal energy, underground salt caverns for carbon dioxide and hydrogen storage, and constitute a major source of critical minerals.

Salt tectonics and fluid hydrodynamics generate effective traps and fluid‑migration pathways for hydrocarbons and mineral‑rich fluids. While traditional geological and geophysical frameworks have long underpinned hydrocarbon exploration, computational advances are now fundamentally transforming the characterization of both petroleum systems and critical mineral deposits worldwide.  

This session welcomes scientific contributions on salt deposits and their deformation through time, and case histories addressing the exploration and development of critical minerals in evaporite basins.