A new study by Yue Yu, Shuntian Wang, Livia Cabernard, and Stephan Pfister sheds light on the biodiversity impacts associated with global mining activities and the international supply chains that depend on them.

The growing demand for minerals driven by digitalization, infrastructure development, and the transition to low-carbon technologies is increasing pressure on ecosystems worldwide. While mining's local environmental impacts are well recognized, understanding how these impacts are linked to global consumption patterns remains a challenge.

To address this gap, the researchers developed a spatially explicit assessment framework that connects biodiversity loss at mining sites to global species loss and combined it with a multiregional input-output model to trace impacts through international supply chains.

The results show that biodiversity impacts from mining land use are nearly twice as high as previous global estimates. The study identifies major impact hotspots in Indonesia, New Caledonia, Australia, Brazil, and Peru, which together account for 57% of global mining-related biodiversity impacts. Coal, precious metals, nickel, iron, and copper extraction contribute 82% of the total impact.

The analysis also highlights the importance of international trade. Approximately 77% of mining-related biodiversity footprints occur outside the countries where final consumption takes place. Demand from China, Europe, Japan, and the United States accounts for 58% of these global footprints.

By improving the transparency of biodiversity impacts embedded in mining supply chains, the study provides important insights for policymakers, companies, and conservation practitioners seeking to reduce biodiversity risks and support more sustainable resource governance.

Read the whole paper here: 

Yu, Y., Wang, S., Cabernard, L., & Pfister, S. (2026) Revealing Hidden Biodiversity Footprints Embedded in Global Mining Supply Chains. Environmental Science and Technology.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c01834