Recovering minerals and metals from abandoned mines could aid decarbonization The development of environmentally friendly technologies (e.g., electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and lithium-ion batteries) to achieve a low-carbon future will require large quantities of critical minerals and metals ( 1 ). Mining and extraction of these materials are anticipated to generate substantially larger volumes of mine wastes, including waste rock and tailings ( 2 ). The release of contaminated water from mine wastes can cause long-term environmental damage and land degradation, posing challenges for pollution control and environmental remediation. Resource extraction from contaminated water, mine wastes, and mine workings (e.g., unexploited open pits and underground tunnels) at abandoned mines could potentially address the increased demands of critical minerals and metals for decarbonization. However, careful planning is required to ensure that negative environmental effects are not exacerbated during resource recovery at abandoned mines.