Impact of winter heat waves on the mining-affected environment

Climate change is causing significant changes in the hydrological cycle, leading to more frequent and severe heatwaves, droughts, and floods. Climate change-induced summer and winter heat waves can have serious implications for water quantity and quality. Especially in catchments where the environment is already under stress due to high metal and metalloid, sulfate, and nitrogen discharges from mining activities.

In addition, industrial chemicals used in mining introduce organic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) to the environment. With the long national history of mining, the mining industry in Sweden is expected to see renewed growth due to the recent discovery of rare earth metal deposits and their importance for the ongoing green economic transition. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the environmental impact of mining under changing climate.

This project will assess how changing meteorological and hydrological conditions impact catchment flows, water quality, and contaminant transport in soil and groundwater under future winter heat wave scenarios in mining-affected areas. It will also provide fundamental insights into the presence of CECs and their potential risk of mobilization and redistribution under the changing hydrological conditions from extreme weather events.