Technologies for extraction and processing of critical raw materials (IA)

The actions in this call should also be pursued with a view on developments in the call "HORIZON-CL4-2023/2024-RESILIENCE-01-02: Innovative technologies for sustainable and decarbonised extraction" in terms of industrial viability, safety and environmental impacts.

Actions are expected to develop and demonstrate extraction and processing technologies to facilitate exploitation of the primary raw critical raw materials (minerals and metals only) for the EU to strengthen the EU supply chains.

Actions have to collaborate with Canada or Ukraine, following the strategic partnership on raw materials established in 2021 between the EU and Canada[[https://ec.europa.eu/growth/news/eu-and-canada-set-strategic-partnership-raw-materials-2021-06-21_en]] and with Ukraine. [[ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3633 ]] [[ The geographical scope of the topic may be revised before the call is launched, should new circumstances or priorities emerge ]]. The consortia should contain raw materials industry from at least one of the partner countries and raw materials users from the EU. Technology should be demonstrated on the resources of the partner country.

Actions should envisage clustering activities with other relevant selected projects for cross-projects co-operation, consultations and joint activities on cross-cutting issues and share of results as well as participating in joint meetings and communication events. To this end proposals should foresee a dedicated work package and/or task, and earmark the appropriate resources accordingly.

Actions should facilitate the market uptake of solutions developed through industrially- and user-driven multidisciplinary consortia covering the relevant value chain and should consider standardisation aspects when relevant. The action should also include the analysis of financial opportunities ensuring the market exploitation and replication of the circular business model behind the developed solutions as new processes, products and/or services.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. For TRLs 6-7, a credible strategy to achieve future full-scale deployment in the EU is expected, indicating the commitments of the industrial partners after the end of the project.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and/or gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement, however, should you consider it to be of relevance for your specific proposal, you are strongly encouraged to do it.