MINEYE - EARTH OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES FOR MINE LIFE CYCLE MONITORING USING ML-BASED DATA FUSION APPROACH

Project Information

MINEYE

Grant agreement ID: 101138456

DOI

10.3030/101138456

EC signature date 7 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 5 777 167,78

Coordinated by

NORGES GEOTEKNISKE INSTITUTT AS
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MINEYE (MINEYE - EARTH OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES FOR MINE LIFE CYCLE MONITORING USING ML-BASED DATA FUSION APPROACH)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The project is developing innovative and cost-effective Earth Observation (EO) based methodologies and technologies to support mineral exploration, exploitation, closure and post-closure stages of mining operations. The results will be implemented in a web-based digital platform, which will be commercialised for industry customers (exploration and mining companies) and other stakeholders. Increased stakeholder access to EO-based products and services developed is expected to improve decision-making by reducing uncertainty and costs associated with exploration success, while minimising environmental impacts of mining. The project will demonstrate the technologies at three European greenfield and brownfield pilot sites with different mining contexts, located in Spain, Albania and Sweden. The project’s industrial partners include several technology providers and two mine operators/end users.

The overall objective of the MINEYE project supports increased access to critical and strategic minerals and metals in Europe. The project focusses on four specific sub-objectives: O1. To develop a web-interface for better integration of existing and newly collected EO and survey data to optimize operations within the entire mining life cycle. O2. To turn mining wastes to extractable materials meanwhile reducing mine tailing's environmental footprints at local and global scales, and secure mine safety during mineral extraction. O3. Demonstrate the technologies in different case studies covering the whole value chain to validate the applicability and replicability of the MINEYE technologies in various mining contexts of relevance (exploration of yet-to-be exploited areas, secondary mining, revalorization of historical mines). O4. To ensure knowledge sharing and uptake to maximize impacts.

MINEYE's final product and principal innovation concept will be a web-based EO user platform and associated toolbox, including i) Mineral Prospectivity Mapping, ii) 3D visualization platform LiquidEarth, and (iii) Inventory Map and Mining Residues Package. The platform and its tools will be used to analyse operations at different segments of the mine life cycle and assist decision making within key aspects of the mining value chain.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A web-based user platform for better integration of existing and newly collected EO and survey data is being developed. A first version of the EO database (deliverable D1.1) was developed, containing a description and overview of all existing data that is being exploited for the project pilot sites. Mining waste valorisation, mine tailings environmental footprints, and secure mine safety during mineral extraction are actively being evaluated and addressed in several work packages. MINEYE has demonstrated technologies in different case studies in Europe. The Exploration team has conducted a comprehensive geophysical and geological data collection campaign at the project pilot site in Albania. Potential sustainability impacts, including indicators for business model integrity, environmental responsibility, and social responsibility are being identified.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The MINEYE action is developing and deploying innovative technologies, products and services based on satellite, airborne and ground-based remote sensing data combined with other in-situ data sources. The various datasets are being collected, tasked, or validated within the planned activities of the project. The fusion of these multi-scale, multi-discipline datasets and through the development and implementation of the web-based EO user platform and associated toolsets, MINEYE will support i) improved knowledge on raw materials resources in Europe, through innovative exploration methods, and ii) development of best practices and standards for innovative EO technologies, products and services for more efficient permitting and environmental compliance processes. The project will develop recommendations within a public project deliverable on sustainability, which may contribute to future policymaking.

Furthermore, MINEYE will contribute to i) improving responsible supply of raw materials to Europe in line with the EU principles for sustainable raw materials, and ii) implementation of the EU action plan on Critical Raw Materials, by mapping potential supplies of secondary critical raw materials in Europe and by conducting life cycle and sustainability impact assessments. Finally, MINEYE will support industrial leadership and increased autonomy in key strategic value chains with security of supply in raw materials by enabling optimisation of exploration and exploitation activities and promoting sustainable and targeted activities that will make the most of the available resources in Europe.