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Abstract We propose a kinetic mathematical model of the oscillatory compositional zoning profile recorded in minerals based on the crystal growth suppression induced by impurities. Notably, the presence of a small amount of impurities significantly inhibits crystal growth, and a growth inhibition mechanism called the pinning effect is widely accepted. Here we show that a model that considers the pinning effect and adsorption/desorption kinetics of impurities on the crystal surface can reproduce the oscillatory compositional zoning. As impurities are common in nature, this model suggests the existence of a universal mechanism that can occur in the growth processes of various crystals.