Christian Juncher Jørgensen, Christian Zdanowich, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserov, Alexander Baklanov, Tuija Mononen, Yu Jia, Christian Frigaard Rasmussen, Hilkka Timonen, James King, Patrick L. Hayes, Christian Maurice and Outi Meinander.
Significant reserves of base metals and critical minerals such as rare earth elements vital for renewable energy, electronics and defense are present across the Arctic. As global demand rises, the region has become strategically important, exemplified by U.S. interest in Greenland. However, mining in the Arctic poses serious environmental risks, including erosion, biodiversity loss and contamination of soil and water. Emissions of mineral dust from open-pit mining is one of the major concerns as they have adverse effects on local communities and surrounding environments. Despite the potential impacts, dust emissions from Arctic mines remain poorly quantified and effective international guidelines for dust monitoring and dust mitigation are currently lacking. Addressing these shortcomings will be essential for responsible expansion of mining in the Arctic to minimize impacts on the environment. This paper reviews mining dust sources, potential adverse environmental effects, as well as relevant legislation and dust management practicesin Arctic mines and highlights key issues for future research to further improve the mitigation of negative environmental impacts by mineral dust caused by mining in the Arctic.
