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A Sustainable Ecosystem for the Innovative Resource Recovery and Complex Ore Extraction

Project description

Pioneering a Green Future for Mining

Mining operations emit substantial carbon dioxide and generate waste, posing serious environmental challenges. Traditional extraction methods contribute to emissions and resource depletion, exacerbating climate concerns. Accessing remote or difficult-to-reach mining sites further compounds the issue, hindering monitoring and remediation efforts. Without intervention, the industry’s environmental impact will continue to escalate. In this context, the EU-funded XTRACT project aims to innovate with its concept: the Zero Emission Mine of the Future. By targeting emission-intensive points in the mining value chain, XTRACT introduces sustainable and decarbonised extraction technologies. The project aims to reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency. By employing remote sensing and innovative extraction methods, XTRACT promises to monitor and extract minerals from even the most inaccessible sites.

Objective

XTRACT seeks to introduce the novel concept of the Zero Emission Mine of the Future, introducing innovative technologies for sustainable and decarbonised extraction. The XTRACT technological pathways to a lower mining emission future are addressing well-identified emission intensive points of the current mining value chain. XTRACT will add a highly innovative new alternative to the toolbox of how stockpiles and tailings are assessed, relieving the pressure on resources and contributing to the realization of EU Climate Neutrality Goals, with a significant benefit of emission reduction. XTRACT will scale remote sensing systems and analytical resources to allow the systematic and remote monitoring of “hard-to-access” mining sites and waste deposits. XTRACT targets the reduction of ore losses and mining waste, through a novel system for the control of the ore loss and dilution, reducing overall mine emissions and economic loss. The trend towards declining orebody grades and continued development of the pursuit of existing operation to exploit lower grade deposits is likely to continue, in the absence of high-grade project discovery. XTRACT will develop and validate innovative microinvasive technologies and solutions to extract high-tech elements from minerals and wastes, specifically tailored to remote, “hard-to-reach” locations and small quantities, where extraction is unprofitable. The in-situ bioleaching process and membrane treatment will be applied and optimized with the aim to achieve enhanced microbial activity, catalyst production, and therefore, maximum metal recovery from the source. XTRACT will introduce low-TRL green technologies of phytoextraction and phytoremediation, particularly appropriate for mining waste piles and abandoned sites, that represent a solution for mine waste remediation but also for the extraction and recovery of various precious metals. XTRACT will be validated in 5 case studies in Germany, Sweden, Portugal and Greece.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2023-RESILIENCE-01

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Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BERGAKADEMIE FREIBERG
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.

€ 607 116,75
Address
AKADEMIESTRASSE 6
09599 FREIBERG
Germany

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Region
Sachsen Chemnitz Mittelsachsen
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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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.

No data

Participants (13)

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