Project description
Safe and socially accepted mineral exploration
The rapid deployment of clean energy technologies has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for critical raw materials, including cobalt, lithium, and others. A reliable supply of these materials is crucial to ensure resilient economies. However, mineral exploration in Europe faces various challenges, such as diverse geology, environmental threats, and ice cover in the Arctic region of northern Europe. Additionally, public acceptance is low. The EU-funded NEXT project brings together 16 partners from six European countries, which represent the metal production industry. Their objective is to create safe, and socially accepted geo-models, exploration technologies, and data analysis methods. By doing so, they seek to pave the way for Europe’s cutting-edge extractive industry.
Objective
NEXT proposal has been compiled by a pan-European consortium, which consists of 16 partners from leading research institutes (3), academia (3), service providers (5) and industry (5). The members come from 6 EU member states (Fi, FR, DE, MT, ES and SE) and represent the main metal producing regions of Europe, Fennoscncian Shield, Iberian Pyrite Belt and Central European Belt. These economically most important metallogenic belts of the EU have diverse geology with evident potential for different types of new mineral resource. The mineral deposits in these belts are the most feasible sources of critical, high-tech and other economically important metals in the EU. The project consortium has also a vast international collaboration network, e.g. 50% of the Advisory Board members have been invited from outside EU.
In addition to the variable geology, the vulnerability of the environment and the glacial sedimentary cover in the Arctic regions of northern Europe, and the thick weathering crust and more densely populated nature of the target areas in the Iberian and Central European belts influence the mineral exploration in different ways. The social conditions in potential benefits and challenges also vary. Therefore the new environmentally sound exploration concepts and technologies will be optimized and tested on diverse mineral deposit types.
NEXT will develop new geomodels, novel sensitive exploration technologies and data analysis methods which together are fast, cost-effective, environmentally safe and socially accepted. Methods developed reduce the current high exploration costs and enhance participation of civil society from the start of exploration, raising awareness and trust. Moreover, the reduced environmental impact of the new technologies and better knowledge about the factors influencing social licensing will help promote social acceptance of both exploration and mining and therefore support the further development of Europe´s extractive industry.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftware
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesphysical geographycartography
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringmining and mineral processing
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robotsdrones
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil society
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
02151 Espoo
Finland
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Participants (16)
28006 Madrid
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90590 Oulu
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
09599 Freiberg
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
54052 Nancy Cedex
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
75794 Paris
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45307 Essen
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971 87 Lulea
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01328 Dresden
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CSP 06 Senglea
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
48145 Munster
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
21330 Huelva
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96101 Rovaniemi
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02400 KIRKKONUMMI
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96320 ROVANIEMI
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28046 MADRID
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02600 Espoo
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