Project description
Cutting waste and boosting Europe’s mineral security
The global rush for critical minerals has created a bottleneck that is forcing mining companies to scale up production and meet strict environmental standards. The EIC-funded LASO-LIBS project aims to bring the lab to the mine in order to provide instant data on mineral composition and hardness. It will use laser pulses to vaporise rock samples and provide real-time feedback. This allows mining companies to target high-value ore bodies with surgical accuracy. By reducing the volume of waste rock processed, the project cuts energy use, lowers chemical waste, and helps secure Europe’s raw material supply chain through smarter, more sustainable extraction.
Objective
Mining companies face growing challenges related to efficiency, sustainability, and resource utilization. With increasing demand for metals driven by global megatrends such as electric transportation, renewable energy, and geopolitical pressures, there is an urgent need for advanced technologies that optimize mining operations. We are at the forefront of this transformation with our innovative LASO-LIBS technology, which provides instant, on-site analysis of mechanical, elemental, and mineral properties of ore bodies.
Currently, the mining industry relies heavily on laboratory-based mechanical tests such as the Bond Ball Mill test, resulting in 2-3 month waiting period. Our solution enables instant on-site mechanical analysis, allowing for faster, more accurate decision-making in mining operations. By leveraging proprietary algorithms that analyze optical and acoustic signals generated through laser ablation, our technology provides precise estimations of rock's mechanical properties, as well as elemental and mineral compositions, directly in the field.
This technological breakthrough addresses a critical gap in the industry, as mining companies typically lack adequate tools to estimate mechanical properties on-site. As a result, operations often suffer from inefficient use of electricity, excessive chemical consumption, and the generation of significant waste. Our solution empowers mining companies to optimize operations, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact while improving productivity.
Our solution aligns with the European Union's objectives to increase self-sufficiency in critical mineral production and meet the demands of the green transition. With on-site mechanical analysis now a reality, we are leading the way toward a more sustainable, efficient, and responsible future in the mining industry.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
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-EIC-ACC - HORIZON EIC Accelerator
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-02
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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.
00370 Helsinki
Finland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
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.