The role of polar regions is increasing in terms of megatrends such as globalization, new transport routes, demography, and the use of natural resources with consequent effects on regional and transported pollutant concentrations. We set up the ERA-PLANET Strand 4 project “iCUPE – integrative and Comprehensive Understanding on Polar Environments” to provide novel insights and observational data on global grand challenges with an Arctic focus. We utilize an integrated approach combining in situ observations, satellite remote sensing Earth observations (EOs), and multi-scale modeling to synthesize data from comprehensive long-term measurements, intensive campaigns, and satellites to deliver data products, metrics, and indicators to stakeholders concerning the environmental status, availability, and extraction of natural resources in the polar areas. The iCUPE work consists of thematic state-of-the-art research and the provision of novel data in atmospheric pollution, local sources and transboundary transport, the characterization of arctic surfaces and their changes, an assessment of the concentrations and impacts of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants and their cycling, the quantification of emissions from natural resource extraction, and the validation and optimization of satellite Earth observation (EO) data streams. In this paper we introduce the iCUPE project and summarize initial results arising out of the integration of comprehensive in situ observations, satellite remote sensing, and multi-scale modeling in the Arctic context.

Using Murmansk Region, one of Russia’s largest mining regions, as a case study, this paper examines the environmental safety challenges arising in the storage of mining and mineral processing waste (MMPW). It was found that MMPW causes environmental damage even after the deposit’s exhaustion. While being stored, the MMPW composition experiences a major change in the process properties of the recoverable minerals. As a consequence, the potential value of the MMPW as a mineral resource falls. Imperfections of the regulatory framework, leading to a higher unit cost of recovery and a reduced profitability of MMPW processing, are demonstrated. Potential amendments to the Russian laws are proposed in order to make MMPW processing commercially more viable.

The authors describe the opportunities of low-grade sulfide ores and mine waste processing with heap and bacterial leaching methods. By the example of gold and silver ores, we analyzed specific issues and processing technologies for heap leaching intensification in severe climatic conditions. The paper presents perspectives for heap leaching of sulfide and mixed ores from the Udokan (Russia) and Talvivaara (Finland) deposits, as well as technogenic waste dumps, namely, the Allarechensky Deposit Dumps (Russia). The paper also shows the laboratory results of non-ferrous metals leaching from low-grade copper-nickel ores of the Monchepluton area, and from tailings of JSC Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company.

The use of mining and metallurgical waste for the production of building supplies reduces the burden on the environment and serves the sustainable development of the region’s industry at the same time. Russia has substantiated the possibility of producing ceramic construction materials of compression molding from a unique mixture of substances based on waste slag of copper–nickel productions, tailings of enrichment of apatite–nepheline ores, and ferruginous quartzites of enterprises of the Murmansk region. The effect of forming pressure (20, 50, and 100 MPa) on the properties of ceramic materials was studied. It is shown that an increase in molding pressure leads to an increase in the physical and mechanical properties of ceramic materials and to a decrease in fire shrinkage and water absorption. The use of a forming pressure of 100 MPa and a firing temperature of 1050 °C makes it possible to obtain a wall clinker brick; at a firing temperature of 1100 °C and a forming pressure of 20–100 MPa, a road clinker brick can be produced. Ceramic samples with frost resistance of more than 200 cycles were received.

The increase in demand for rare earth metals and the depletion of natural resources inevitably causes the need to search for alternative unconventional sources of rare metal raw materials. The article presents the results of a study of the composition and properties of the beneficiation tailings of currently produced loparite ores. Sieve, mineralogical, chemical, and radionuclide analyses were carried out. The average content of loparite in tailings was determined. Using scanning electron microscopy, minerals-concentrators of rare earth elements in the loparite ore beneficiation tailings were diagnosed. The distribution of valuable components and thorium in the tailings was determined depending on the particle size class. The radium-thorium nature of radioactivity was established, the values of the effective specific activity of the samples were calculated. We concluded that it is necessary to develop an integrated technology for processing the beneficiation tailings of loparite ore, due to the complex and heterogeneous mineral and chemical composition of the tailings material.