Over the last month, researchers from UPCT have been out in the field collecting soil samples to measure metal concentrations in dust, in runoff and eroded sediments.

Erosion is the main driver of metal dispersion in the district:

• Wind erosion lifts contaminated dust into the atmosphere, where it can travel and settle over large distances.
• Water erosion mobilises metals through surface runoff and sediment transport, carrying pollutants downstream and into nearby ecosystems such as the Mar Menor lagoon.

By studying these processes, we aim to improve our understanding of how metals move through the environment and how they may impact communities and ecosystems.

To assess wind erosion, the UPCT researchers have installed dust collectors in a flat, metal-polluted area near the Mar Menor lagoon. These devices capture airborne dust, which will later be quantified and analysed for metal concentrations.

To assess water erosion, they installed erosion nails, along with runoff and sediment collectors (PVC pipes) in dams along the Rambla del Beal watercourse. These tools allow us to measure soil loss and capture both water and sediment samples after rain events. The samples collected will later be analysed for metal concentrations.

Sample collection began in summer 2025, and the data will be used to evaluate how metals are redistributed by natural processes in this polluted mining district.