Challenges and societal consequences of downsized bedrock mapping: A case study from Sweden

A bedrock map constitutes a conceptual model derived from a synthesis of field and laboratory observations, data extrapolation and interpolation, and conceptual thinking grounded in empirical evidence. Bedrock mapping is therefore inherently dependent on technological and scientific advancements and must be approached as a long-term, continuous process of knowledge accumulation.

The societal demand for bedrock mapping is extensive. Accurate and detailed mapping underpins assessments of mineral resources, construction materials, and groundwater reserves, as well as the geological premisses for infrastructure development, including the construction of subsurface facilities such as, tunnels, nuclear waste repositories, carbon capture storage sites, and facilities for extraction and storage of thermal energy. Furthermore, it provides critical support to disciplines such as, for example, environmental geochemistry, archaeology, forensic science, historical industrial studies, and forestry.

In Sweden, systematic and long-term basic mapping of the bedrock is today, in practice, non-existing and restricted to the location of known mineral deposits and narrow corridors of infrastructure. As a consequence, the bedrock information for large parts of the country is outdated or overly generalized, adversely impacting economic development, technological innovation, and efforts to address climate and environmental challenges. This deficiency is exemplified by three cases: (i) the deceleration of development and increased costs for infrastructure projects within the construction intensive Stockholm region; (ii) difficulties in modelling the build-up of the subsurface bedrock, affecting investment decisions for underground facilities; and (iii) challenges in interpreting analytical results in the absence of an up-to-date field context.