Geochemical processes related to mined, milled or natural metal deposits in a rapidly changing global environment

The demand for metals and raw materials, such as Ni and Cu, has been projected to expand in the coming decades, driven by the global energy transition, the need for green technologies and expanding infrastructure. Consequently, the increasing extraction and production of mining waste can have adverse impacts on surrounding environments and human health. The aim of this thematic collection is to fill critical knowledge gaps in the present-day cycles of metal(loid)s from source to larger sinks, and the effect of environmental management, anthropogenic development and climate change. Altogether, the studies have been conducted in different natural settings around the world and comprise investigations in laterites, a soil–medicinal plant system, watersheds and banded iron formations, among others. The geochemical applications in tracing mineralization, its secondary products and/or potential impact on the immediate environment are highly diverse with applied tools ranging from isotope tracers to major and trace element systematics. In particular, the use of rare earth elements, their patterns and anomalies, are methods employed by several studies in this collection. We summarize the findings to offer a potential future direction for the use of geochemical tracing techniques in resource exploration in the context of climate change and environmental challenges.