Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Pioneering Sustainable CRM Recovery in European Mining

Project description

A closer look at CRM recovery in European mining

Europe’s mining industry is struggling to recover critical raw materials (CRMs) from increasingly complex and lower quality ores. These materials are essential for many technologies, but the extraction process is becoming increasingly inefficient and unsustainable. There is a growing need for better solutions to make mining more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Without improvement, Europe risks shortages of key materials. In this context, the EU-funded OPTIMINER project steps in as a game-changer. By integrating advanced technologies, digital tools and sustainability strategies, it aims to help the mining industry recover CRMs more efficiently. With pilot projects across Europe and Chile, OPTIMINER aims to transform the industry and also promote international collaboration.

Objective

The problem addressed by the OPTIMINER project is multi-faceted and significant in the European context. Europe's mining industry is grappling with the pressing need to efficiently and sustainably recover CRMs from increasingly complex and low-grade ores.
OPTIMINER offers a comprehensive solution to Europe's mining challenges, encompassing five Key Exploitable Results (KERs). REMINER focuses on advanced technologies for efficient CRM recovery. These include smart ore sorters, membrane-based hydrometallurgical processes, bioleaching, and phytomining. They will comprise a marketplace of technologies that will be offered to the extractive industry through an innovative AI-enabled CRM Recovery Selector. DIGIMINER offers a digital platform for smart monitoring and control. It is enhanced with a Decision Support System and an NLP-based digital assistant, the Virtual Miner. Moreover, Digital Twins of the recovery pilot plants will be created to optimise productivity and provide with simulation capacities. ECOMINER delivers services enhancing sustainability and resilience. It boosts resource management and efficiency by designing a toolkit to optimise energy, water usage and waste valorisation, along with strategies for toxicity management and LCA. Financial sustainability is tackled by using an AI-enabled Market Observatory system to provide knowledge support and resilience to the end user. DEMOMINER showcases pilot lines for CRM recovery across different materials and geographical locations. Specifically, we are proposing 6 use cases in Spain, Greece, Poland, Finland and Chile, while focusing on CRM recovery, namely magnesium, tungsten, REE (esp. Neodymium), Copper, Cobalt and Coking Coal. GLOBEMINER promotes increased awareness and market uptake, highlighting the strategic EU-Chile strategic cooperation. Together, these components form an integrated approach to revolutionize CRM recovery, ensuring environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2024-RESILIENCE-01

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 795 000,00
Address
PATISION 42
106 82 ATHINA
Greece

See on map

Region
Αττική Aττική Κεντρικός Τομέας Αθηνών
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 907 500,00

Participants (20)

My booklet 0 0