Periodic Reporting for period 3 - DIGIECOQUARRY (INNOVATIVE DIGITAL SUSTAINABLE AGGREGATES SYSTEMS)
Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31
DIGIECOQUARRY set out to transform the aggregates sector, traditionally dependent on energy-intensive and potentially hazardous operations, by harnessing the potential of digitisation and automation. The project addressed the need to make quarrying safer, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable, while ensuring Europe’s secure supply of construction raw materials – essential for infrastructure, housing, transport, and the green transition.
At the core of the project was the development of the Intelligent Quarrying System (IQS), an integrated digital platform combining sensors, automation, IoT connectivity, BIM models, and AI-driven analytics. This system enabled real-time monitoring, decision-making, and optimisation across the quarrying value chain, from extraction to end-user delivery.
Large-scale demonstrations in five pilot sites across Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany validated the feasibility and benefits of this new approach. DIGIECOQUARRY showed that quarry operations could be digitised and automated to create smart, sustainable quarries, achieving efficiency gains, safer working conditions, and improved environmental performance through reduced energy consumption, optimised processes, and lower emissions. Worker safety was reinforced through predictive systems and AI-supported monitoring, while social acceptance was strengthened via proactive stakeholder engagement and greater transparency.
The project further demonstrated that the IQS is adaptable to diverse geological and operational contexts, with knowledge transferable and scalable at European and international levels. More than 30 innovative solutions were piloted, covering blasting optimisation, predictive maintenance, environmental monitoring, and digital dashboards. Clear exploitation pathways and business models were defined, ensuring that the results will continue to generate impact and foster replication beyond the project’s lifetime.
At the core of the project was the development of the Intelligent Quarrying System (IQS), an integrated digital platform combining sensors, automation, IoT connectivity, BIM models, and AI-driven analytics. This system enabled real-time monitoring, decision-making, and optimisation across the quarrying value chain, from extraction to end-user delivery.
Large-scale demonstrations in five pilot sites across Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany validated the feasibility and benefits of this new approach. DIGIECOQUARRY showed that quarry operations could be digitised and automated to create smart, sustainable quarries, achieving efficiency gains, safer working conditions, and improved environmental performance through reduced energy consumption, optimised processes, and lower emissions. Worker safety was reinforced through predictive systems and AI-supported monitoring, while social acceptance was strengthened via proactive stakeholder engagement and greater transparency.
The project further demonstrated that the IQS is adaptable to diverse geological and operational contexts, with knowledge transferable and scalable at European and international levels. More than 30 innovative solutions were piloted, covering blasting optimisation, predictive maintenance, environmental monitoring, and digital dashboards. Clear exploitation pathways and business models were defined, ensuring that the results will continue to generate impact and foster replication beyond the project’s lifetime.
Over the 48 months of implementation, DIGIECOQUARRY successfully delivered on its objectives, moving from the definition of requirements to large-scale demonstration and validation across five European pilot sites. Each Work Package (WP) progressively contributed to building the IQS:
• WP1 defined the requirements for smart, sustainable digital quarries.
• WPs 2–3 developed and validated innovative technologies covering advanced rock characterisation, adaptive drilling and blasting techniques, new energy-efficient drilling methods, mobile crushers with noise and dust mitigation systems, drill-to-mill optimisation, and a full set of sensors and automation solutions for treatment plants, storage facilities, and mobile equipment.
• WP4 consolidated these developments into the IQS, defining ICT requirements, implementing data lakes, benchmarking IoT frameworks, designing the system architecture, and integrating AI services and BIM-based digital twins.
• WP5 contributed safety and environmental systems, including AI-based pedestrian recognition, collision avoidance tools, energy consumption monitoring, and environmental impact simulation.
• WP6 implemented, tested, and validated all these solutions across the five pilot sites in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. Each site demonstrated complementary aspects of the IQS, enabling validation of technologies in diverse operational and geological contexts. More than 30 innovative solutions were piloted, covering blasting optimisation, crushing and screening models, production control, environmental monitoring, digital dashboards, and AI-enabled predictive systems.
• WPs 7–8 focused on social acceptance and knowledge transfer. Community engagement strategies were rolled out at all pilot sites, supported by open days, stakeholder dialogues, and surveys, helping to improve public perception and trust. At policy level, targeted communication with national and European authorities supported regulatory dialogue on digitisation and sustainability in raw materials. Knowledge transfer and international cooperation were fostered through clustering with EU-funded sister projects and collaboration with partners in Colombia and South Africa.
• WPs 9–10 ensured dissemination, exploitation, and project management. Dissemination actions included peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, workshops, MOOCs, webinars, and communication materials, reaching thousands of stakeholders. Exploitation activities focused on identifying Key Exploitable Results (KERs), preparing business plans, and defining market pathways. A catalogue of innovations, The Smart Side of Quarrying, was published in English and Spanish to support future deployment. Project management ensured effective coordination, timely delivery, risk mitigation, and quality control.
• WP1 defined the requirements for smart, sustainable digital quarries.
• WPs 2–3 developed and validated innovative technologies covering advanced rock characterisation, adaptive drilling and blasting techniques, new energy-efficient drilling methods, mobile crushers with noise and dust mitigation systems, drill-to-mill optimisation, and a full set of sensors and automation solutions for treatment plants, storage facilities, and mobile equipment.
• WP4 consolidated these developments into the IQS, defining ICT requirements, implementing data lakes, benchmarking IoT frameworks, designing the system architecture, and integrating AI services and BIM-based digital twins.
• WP5 contributed safety and environmental systems, including AI-based pedestrian recognition, collision avoidance tools, energy consumption monitoring, and environmental impact simulation.
• WP6 implemented, tested, and validated all these solutions across the five pilot sites in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. Each site demonstrated complementary aspects of the IQS, enabling validation of technologies in diverse operational and geological contexts. More than 30 innovative solutions were piloted, covering blasting optimisation, crushing and screening models, production control, environmental monitoring, digital dashboards, and AI-enabled predictive systems.
• WPs 7–8 focused on social acceptance and knowledge transfer. Community engagement strategies were rolled out at all pilot sites, supported by open days, stakeholder dialogues, and surveys, helping to improve public perception and trust. At policy level, targeted communication with national and European authorities supported regulatory dialogue on digitisation and sustainability in raw materials. Knowledge transfer and international cooperation were fostered through clustering with EU-funded sister projects and collaboration with partners in Colombia and South Africa.
• WPs 9–10 ensured dissemination, exploitation, and project management. Dissemination actions included peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, workshops, MOOCs, webinars, and communication materials, reaching thousands of stakeholders. Exploitation activities focused on identifying Key Exploitable Results (KERs), preparing business plans, and defining market pathways. A catalogue of innovations, The Smart Side of Quarrying, was published in English and Spanish to support future deployment. Project management ensured effective coordination, timely delivery, risk mitigation, and quality control.
DIGIECOQUARRY went well beyond the state of the art by demonstrating a disruptive concept: the digital and automated Intelligent Quarrying System deployed and validated in five complementary pilot sites under real operational conditions. This consolidated its role as a reference initiative for competitiveness, sustainability, and digital transformation in the aggregates sector.
The project delivered measurable results across all seven targets of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials. It demonstrated market potential and competitive advantage (TI2) by proving that smart quarrying solutions reduce operating costs, increase revenues, and generate clear environmental and safety benefits. Final analyses estimated increased incomes of around €701k and cost reductions of up to €684k per year, alongside an estimated 5% increase in investment in geological and mining research.
DIGIECOQUARRY also positioned Europe at the forefront of mining and quarrying technologies (TI3) by generating high-value know-how, patents, peer-reviewed publications, and transferable solutions. More than 30 digital tools and services were implemented, including adaptive blasting, drill-to-mill optimisation, AI-based granulometry monitoring, predictive maintenance, collision avoidance systems, environmental dashboards, and digital twins.
A major impact was achieved in unlocking reserves of currently unexploited resources (TI4). By improving efficiency in blasting, crushing, and processing, the project enabled greater use of low-value fines and secondary aggregates, extended quarry lifetimes by 2–3 years, and reduced waste. Advanced characterisation, digital monitoring, and feedback loops improved valorisation of deposits, increasing resource efficiency and security of supply.
The project also demonstrated its ability to generate added value and jobs (TI5) in raw materials production, equipment manufacturing, ICT, and downstream industries. With 38 cost-effective solutions validated, the expected impact reached €911 million of cumulative additional income within five years, together with the creation of up to 40 new jobs and a 10% improvement in workforce training hours.
The project delivered measurable results across all seven targets of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials. It demonstrated market potential and competitive advantage (TI2) by proving that smart quarrying solutions reduce operating costs, increase revenues, and generate clear environmental and safety benefits. Final analyses estimated increased incomes of around €701k and cost reductions of up to €684k per year, alongside an estimated 5% increase in investment in geological and mining research.
DIGIECOQUARRY also positioned Europe at the forefront of mining and quarrying technologies (TI3) by generating high-value know-how, patents, peer-reviewed publications, and transferable solutions. More than 30 digital tools and services were implemented, including adaptive blasting, drill-to-mill optimisation, AI-based granulometry monitoring, predictive maintenance, collision avoidance systems, environmental dashboards, and digital twins.
A major impact was achieved in unlocking reserves of currently unexploited resources (TI4). By improving efficiency in blasting, crushing, and processing, the project enabled greater use of low-value fines and secondary aggregates, extended quarry lifetimes by 2–3 years, and reduced waste. Advanced characterisation, digital monitoring, and feedback loops improved valorisation of deposits, increasing resource efficiency and security of supply.
The project also demonstrated its ability to generate added value and jobs (TI5) in raw materials production, equipment manufacturing, ICT, and downstream industries. With 38 cost-effective solutions validated, the expected impact reached €911 million of cumulative additional income within five years, together with the creation of up to 40 new jobs and a 10% improvement in workforce training hours.