Mining in the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil) is one of the activites with the strongest impact on the environment: heavy metals (Zn, Cd and Pb) and metalloids (As) pollute surface water, sediments and irrigated agricultural soils. This is a major drawback of this economical important activity. This project will focus on pollution of zinc mining activities in this Brazilian region. The pluridisciplinar aspect of this project (geology, mineralogy, environmental chemistry, microbiology and environmental biotechnology research fields) will first require an advanced training and knowledge transfer program through the organization a Summer-school (WP 1) that will be held in Belo Horizonte (Brazil). The research aspect of the project consists of 4 Work Packages. WP 2 studies mine wastes mineralogy and weathering (monitoring and risk assessments) in the surrounding of zinc mines. WP 3 describes metallurgical wastes mineralogy and weathering in the surrounding of zinc refinery plants. WP4 aims to develop an acid mine drainage treatment and metal recovery process with the help of biotechnological approaches and WP5 assesses the impact on agricultural irrigated polluted soils located downstream the mining and ore processing areas of Rio São Francisco. For each research WP advanced analytical techniques (i.e. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscope, Raman…) will be applied to study the mineralogy, the chemical composition (including heavy metals and metalloids speciation), the weathering and leachability of inorganic pollutants from mine waste and metal refinery wastes, soil pollution and mine drainage remediation. Equilibrated exchange of experienced and early stage researchers between involved partners will allow to establish high-quality research and knowledge transfer. WP 6 will synthesize and disseminate the findings of the project by the organization of an international symposium dedicated to mining pollutions and remediation technologies