AbstractNatural mineral dust has manifold environmental effects reaching from fertilizing aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to affecting the earth's radiation balance and thus impacting on climate. The Sahara is considered the largest source of natural mineral dust on the globe, so much research attention has been paid to source identification, dust mobilization, transport, and effects in the sink areas. This paper gives a review of the research results concerning these topics emphasizing soil‐science‐related aspects of the last 20 y and the identification of knowledge gaps.