Conventional mining moves rock. In-situ mining moves fluids. By circulating aqueous lixiviants through ore-bearing formations, in situ recovery dissolves and extracts critical minerals, including nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium, vanadium, rare earth elements, etc., directly from the subsurface, eliminating much of the excavation, waste rock, and surface disturbance.

Realizing the full potential of in-situ mining requires mechanistic understanding of mineral dissolution kinetics, reactive transport in heterogeneous porous media, fluid-rock geochemical interactions, and microbially mediated redox processes. This session welcomes contributions spanning laboratory experiments, reactive transport modeling, field pilots, and commercial-scale operations. Topics include leaching selectivity, secondary mineral formation, aquifer integrity, post-recovery restoration, and geophysical monitoring of subsurface fluid migration. Submissions addressing unconventional resources such as deep brines, mine waste, and sediment-hosted deposits are also encouraged.

We aim to bridge fundamental geochemistry and hydrogeology with engineering practice, identifying the scientific gaps that must be closed to advance ISR responsibly and at scale.

• H - Hydrology
• MR - Mineral and Rock Physics