Mining, metallurgy and other industrial activities have had a profound influence on the landscapes of many parts of the globe. In Europe, Asia and S America these impacts extend not only over the modern industrial period, but also in some cases over several centuries or even millennia. Investigations of lake-sediment as well as peat records, which preserve physical, chemical and biological information from the surrounding area, offer a unique view into timescales that are not available to contemporary studies in order to not only trace the past record mining and industrial emissions (e.g. trace metals and organic pollutants) to the environment, but also allow us to consider the long-term environmental changes that can result from these activities.

This session focuses on both lake sediment and peat records of inorganic and organic pollutants that may extend over recent timescales (decades–centuries) or historical/ancient timescales (centuries–millennia).