Recent constant composition dissolution studies of sparingly soluble calciu
m phosphates have revealed an interesting and unusual behavior in that the
rates decreased, eventually resulting in effective suppression, even though
the solutions remained undersaturated. Contrary to traditional theories of
dissolution, these experimental results indicated the importance of not on
ly the particle size on the dissolution rate but also the participation of
critical phenomena. In these theories, it is assumed that when the dissolut
ion reactions are initiated, they continue spontaneously until all solid ph
ase has disappeared. in terms of these mechanisms, there are no critical ph
enomena in the dissolution mechanism. Although the crystal size decreases d
uring dissolution, when the reaction is controlled by polypitting (formatio
n and growth of pits), the edge free energy increases at the very first sta
ge due to the creation of pits and dissolution steps. The constant composit
ion experimental results demonstrate the development of surface roughness a
s the dissolution steps are formed, implying an increase of the total edge
length during the reactions. In an exactly analogous mechanism to crystal g
rowth, the participation of critical conditions involving dissolution steps
is a possibility. In contrast to crystal growth, dissolution is a process
of size reduction and, when the particle size is sufficiently reduced, crit
ical phenomena become important so that the influence of size must be taken
into consideration. This paper proposes such a model for dissolution react
ions, and although these unusual phenomena probably apply to all mineral ph
ases, they are more evident for sparingly soluble electrolytes in which the
critical conditions are attained much more readily.