The University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) is investigating the human and environmental risksassociated with metal (hardrock) mining in arid environments and developing innovative remediation technologies to limitthese risks. There is currently a large knowledge gap regarding mine waste systems in relation to human andenvironmental health despite the fact that the hardrock mining industry is the largest industrial polluter in the United Statesand many mining sites have become listed as Superfund sites. Pollutants of concern include arsenic lead and manyother metals as well as very fine particulates (dusts) that can exacerbate existing health conditions. A majority of hardrockmining takes place in the western United States and other arid and semi-arid parts of the world. A central challenge forarid environments is that exposure routes and the fate of pollutants are different than for areas that receive more rainfall.For example the wind-borne movement of pollutants associated with dust particulates is much more significant in aridenvironments. As a result inhalation and ingestion of dust becomes an important route of exposure. The UA SRP has twobiomedical projects that center around defining health impacts of the metal toxicants in mine waste with a focus onarsenic and its effects on cellular energy metabolism and on epithelial to mesenchymal transition in adult primary cultureand adult and neonatal mouse model systems. The three environmental projects are focused on characterizing thesurface (dust) and subsurface (water) transport and fate of metals associated with mining waste before and afterremediation. Information obtained will be used to build conceptual and quantitative models that describe mechanisms ofmetal toxicity as well as the off-site transport of metal contaminants. These models will contribute to: 1) providing criticalinformation on how arsenic one of the most prevalent toxicants in mine waste exerts its effects; and 2) evaluating theeffectiveness of surface and subsurface remediation technologies on reducing contaminant transport into surroundingcommunities and ecosystems. UA SRP researchers work seamlessly with our Research Translation CommunityEngagement and Training Cores to support the dynamic translation of our research to communities adjacent toSuperfund sites federal (EPA ATSDR) and state (AZ Dept. Environmental Quality AZ Dept. Health Services)stakeholders and the mining industry. To further our impact we will continue to develop complementary initiatives suchas the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Mining an industry-academic cooperative that is allowing us to moveresearch results into the field in real-time. The guiding principle for the UA SRP is to produce innovative research that canadvance fundamental science while also contributing to change in industry-wide practices used in mining to improveenvironment/ecosystem preservation and protection of human health.