@misc{9248594,
  abstract     = {{Swedish alum shale contains uranium and other elements that in recent years have
become more relevant for potential mining and extraction. Increasing uranium prices, new developments made within mining methods and the Swedish government making it legal to both mine and extract uranium have been contributing factors to the increased interest for uranium mining in Sweden. However, alum shale is a complex rock type containing sulfide minerals and metal bearing elements that may cause environmental and health risks during the mining operations. The aim of this study is to investigate potential environmental and health risks associated with possible mining and extraction from Swedish alum shale, as well as provide an overview analysis of potential contamination pathways to surface and groundwater.

The study was conducted through as a literature review in which previous research,
reports, investigations, exploration data and experiences from Swedish and international mining operations were analyzed. Geological and geographical datasets from SGU (the Geological Survey of Sweden), Lantmäteriet (the Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority) and Skogsstyrelsen (the Swedish Forest Agency) were also analyzed in ArcGIS Pro. The data was analyzed to provide an overview assessment of the topography, soil permeability within a case study area near Häggån located in Jämtland County. The study area was selected due to the occurrence of uranium and the existing plans for potential uranium extraction from alum shale within the area.

The results indicate that the greatest environmental risks are likely not directly related to uranium itself, but rather the oxidation of sulfide minerals, primarily pyrite. Moreover, oxidation may generate acid mine drainage and contribute to the mobilization of metals and other pollutions. Elements such as arsenic, cadmium, nickel, vanadium and molybdenum are considered to pose potential risks to both humans and aquatic environments if released into surface water or groundwater. Experiences from previous mining operations also demonstrate that waste from mining and post closure management may result in long-term environmental impacts. 

The overview of the GIS-analysis indicated that topography, soil moisture conditions and low permeability within the study area may contribute to the transport of contaminants towards nearby recipients such as Lake Storsjön. However, the results are based on overview data, and several local factors including hydrogeological conditions, groundwater flow and future mining methods were not included and therefore not assessed within the scope of this study.

In conclusion, the study indicates that potential mining of Swedish alum shale may lead to complex and long-term environmental risks. More detailed hydrogeological
investigations, contamination pathway analyses and long-term studies of mine waste
impacts are required to conduct more reliable environmental risk assessments and come to more conclusive conclusions.}},
  author       = {{Ek, Isa}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{ISRN}},
  title        = {{Miljö- och hälsorisker vid uranbrytning i svensk alunskiffer}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}