GKZ

Deliverable 6.1

Hilary Webb — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 08:13:01 +0000

Deliverable 6.1 Hilary Webb Tue, 17/08/2021 - 10:13

Deliverable 6.1 on the online workshop on funding tomorrow's raw materials sector is available to read and download on this page.

Comments

R&I Investments & ESIF

Partner

GKZ

Date

Tue, 17/08/2021 - 10:13

Public / Private

public

Document

Deliverable 6.1_2021-08-17_2831.pdf

Deliverable 2.6

Hilary Webb — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 08:41:00 +0000

Deliverable 2.6 Hilary Webb Wed, 28/04/2021 - 10:41

Deliverable 2.6 from the MIREU project.

Comments

Networking Regions

Partner

GKZ

University of Exeter

Date

Wed, 28/04/2021 - 10:41

Public / Private

public

Document

Deliverable 2.6_2021-04-28_2784.pdf

Virtual Networking between Cornwall & Saxony

Hilary Webb — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 15:35:13 +0000

Virtual Networking between Cornwall & Saxony Hilary Webb Thu, 19/11/2020 - 16:35

As part of the MIREU project, the regions of Cornwall & Saxony are involved in a Twinning Project with the regions represented by The University of Exeter (UNEXE) and Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg (GKZ). The regions share extensive mining heritage, both hosting Mining Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and are experiencing a green revolution fuelled resurgence in the geo-resources sector.

The project enables the regions to exchange experience, knowledge and best practice while stimulating innovation, co-operation, and research. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the MIREU Mining Heritage Workshop, co-organised by UNEXE & GKZ, planned to be held in Cornwall in April 2020 was cancelled.

To replace the lost networking opportunities between the regions UNEXE and GKZ organised a series of virtual networking sessions targeting Cornish stakeholders that would have attended the heritage workshop.

The first was a joint presentation to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, founded in 1814 to promote the study of the geology of Cornwall with attendees comprising of a mixture of professionals, enthusiasts, students and retirees. As a result of the talk, RGSC has expressed interest in organising a society trip to Saxony when possible.

Secondly, in collaboration with Future Focus, UNEXE and GKZ presented at a Future Focus Business Breakfast. The business breakfasts are a series of talks designed to strengthen the links and collaboration opportunities between the mining industry, and related sectors, and research in Cornwall. A poll was circulated following the talks with all ‘respondees’ wishing to have further involvement with the twining project. 42.9% expressed interest in an online networking event and 28.6% in an in-person visit to Saxony/Cornwall.

According to the poll result, UNEXE and GKZ are now organising a follow-up online event to be held by the end of 2020 to investigate which business and research fields are of the participants’ main interest and the possibility of match-making. Furthermore, the Cornish and Devon regional authorities expressed interest in discussing mining regulation and planning with the Saxon mining authority, as such a separate event is being planned to bring these groups together.

More information about Cornwall & Saxony, the links between them and the twinning project can be found in an upcoming deliverable.

Rowan Halkes & Meng Chun Lee

Comments

Networking Regions

GKZ

University of Exeter

Fri, 20/11/2020 - 15:00

Public / Private

Public

Deliverable 4.3

Hilary Webb — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:02:00 +0000

Deliverable 4.3 Hilary Webb Mon, 26/10/2020 - 15:02

The attached document is deliverable 4.3 from the MIREU project.

Comments

Partner

AGH University of Science and Technology

Exploration and Mining Division

Geological Survey of Finland

Geological Survey of France

Junta de Castilla y León

Košice Self-governing Region

Luleå University of Technology

MinPol

Montanuniversität Leoben

National Technical University of Athens

NOVA University of Lisbon

Region Västerbotten

Regional Council of Lapland

SIEMCALSA

SmartNorth

Styrian Iron Route

Technical University of Kosice

University of Exeter

University of Lapland

W E Falck

Date

Mon, 26/10/2020 - 15:02

Public / Private

public

Document

Deliverable 4.3_2021-05-19_2791.pdf

GREENPEG project launches

Hilary Webb — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 09:13:20 +0000

GREENPEG project launches Hilary Webb Mon, 28/09/2020 - 11:13

The Horizon 2020 GREENPEG project, designed to improve exploration in Europe for pegmatites, has launched. Pegmatites are sources of critical raw materials and GREENPEG seeks shorter, more secure supply chains for pure silia, Li, Ta, Cs, Be for the energy transition and other emerging technologies.

The project aims to use a modular sequence of optimised exploration methods from ground, air and space-based information.

Learn more about the project on its website where you can sign up for its newsletter.

Comments

GKZ

Mon, 28/09/2020 - 11:24

Public / Private

Public

Conclusions from workshop on funding tomorrow's raw materials sector

Hilary Webb — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 08:12:47 +0000

Conclusions from workshop on funding tomorrow's raw materials sector Hilary Webb Thu, 30/07/2020 - 10:12

On 25 and 26 May GKZ and NOVA organised MIREU’s first online workshop: Funding Tomorrow’s Raw Materials (RM) Sector. The organisers have summed up the events key discussion ahead of the publication of a report.

Day one introduced a number of MIREU regional partners’ approaches and best practices in strategically developing a region´s RM sector in the context of public funding schemes. The main topics discussed were:

How raising the awareness of governments and the public on the strategic importance of raw materials may lead to better access to funds;
How networking mining regions and stakeholders from RM sector joint ideas and messages may create a larger impact on policy decision-makers;
What is the role of the clusters in funding of tomorrow’s RM sector, for example, as matchmakers, enablers of new development projects and connecting between regional business and at EU level;
How can a networking project like MIREU, and subsequently organisation like CoMMER, support mining and metallurgy regions in response to the challenges raised by the Green Deal and industrial policies on the demand for RM production in the EU.

Day two focused on attracting private mining investments for the benefit of regions. The main topics discussed were:

The EU should consider re-evaluating the supply chain of critical industries in Europe;
Mining in Europe – constraints, opportunities and ways to create favourable conditions for investing in the regions with rich mineral resources;
The value of data and its accessibility;
Skills and labour force needed in today’s mining and metallurgy sector;
The role of SLO in the future establishment of mines in Europe.

The findings and key messages from the workshop will be summed up in a report which will be published soon. The report includes a background contextual research on EU funding programmes 2014-2020 in relation to mining and metallurgy sector, the importance of consistent policies in attracting private mining investments and the outlook of future EU policies and funding schemes from the perspective of RM sector.

Image: Nickelhütte Aue

Comments

R&I Investments & ESIF

GKZ

NOVA University of Lisbon

Thu, 30/07/2020 - 10:20

Public / Private

Public

Networking Matrix v.10

Hilary Webb — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:15:18 +0000

Networking Matrix v.10 Hilary Webb Wed, 03/06/2020 - 16:15

The Networking Matrix is a theoretical approach in WP2 to support Networking Regions.

Comments

Networking Regions

Partner

AGH University of Science and Technology

GKZ

National Technical University of Athens

NOVA University of Lisbon

SIEMCALSA

University of Exeter

Date

Wed, 03/06/2020 - 16:15

Public / Private

private

Document

Networking Matrix v.10_2020-06-03_2689.pdf

3rd MIREU SLO workshop shows that different understandings exist of acceptance and civil participation in mining in Europe

Ryan Titley — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 16:20:26 +0000

3rd MIREU SLO workshop shows that different understandings exist of acceptance and civil participation in mining in Europe Ryan Titley Mon, 16/12/2019 - 17:20

Under the title "Ensuring SLO is adaptive and resilient", GKZ and the University of Lapland organised the third (and final) SLO stakeholder workshop of the project MIREU - Network of Mining and Metallurgy Regions in EU - in Brussels. The host was the Saxon Liaison Office, which is increasingly dedicated to mining issues and has become an important port of call in the heart of Europe in this regard. As the leader of the SLO work package in the MIREU project, the University of Lapland team would like to thank GKZ and all the partners who helped design and run the workshop as well as a big thanks to all of the participants.

The workshop was split between the main event and an optional session with KU Leuven. The topics for discussion in the main event included (1) the different view of stakeholders and applicability of SLO at the regional level; (2) understanding how continuing to empower communities could affect the administrative, legislative and political decision-making processes; (3) the general negative perception of mining across Europe and whether the industry can borrow experiences from other industries, for instance, forestry; (4) examples from different European regions that encourage SLO via a non-binding approach; (5) how SLO is seen outside of Europe and what it means for a European mining industry that is operated by global industrial players; and (6) what should be taken into consideration when developing an SLO guiding framework tailored for Europe.

The two-day workshop showed that the understanding of SLO varies across Europe and, more often than not, SLO is not the term used when addressing acceptance issues at the regional level in Europe. Also of note was the debate around the general trend toward citizen empowerment. For example, the climate change movement Friday-for-Future, and the concerns some in the mining industry have as to how far that empowerment could go, and therefore the potential for SLO to be used as a veto to stop any development. Two important questions arose “does civil society need to be accountable to anyone?” and how do we reconcile SLO, which is defined as voluntary measures, with current legislation that already gives substantial participation to the public? MIREU partners and stakeholders from both Europe and overseas determined the core drivers of and barriers to SLO fitted in the European context in order to improve SLO’s resilience and adaptiveness.

The SLO measures introduced by different partners and presenters ranged from strategies to raise raw material awareness, to improvements in the educational system, to government changing stakeholders’ perceptions by directly involving stakeholders in (technical) evaluation processes, to companies adopting voluntary-based standards schemas created by governments and/or mining associations, to creating a neutral space for stakeholder communication - the list goes on.

Comments

3rd MIREU SLO workshop shows that different understandings exist of acceptance and civil participation in mining in Europe

Social License to Operate

Fri, 19/07/2019 - 09:00

University of Lapland

GKZ

Public / Private

Public

Mining and misunderstandings

Ryan Titley — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:11:37 +0000

Mining and misunderstandings Ryan Titley Thu, 19/12/2019 - 12:11

Background

The 2nd MIREU SLO Workshop with the theme ‘SLO and Regional Development Perspectives’ took place in Leoben, Austria on 24-25 October 2018. This workshop was the second in a series of stakeholder workshops organised in the MIREU project. The main objective of this workshop was to explore the linkages between social license to operate (SLO) and regional development.

The second day of the workshop was concluded with four parallel breakout sessions on topics related to specific regional questions. One of these topics was ‘Mining and Misunderstandings’, which refers to the misunderstandings that often arise in the communication between the parties involved in mining projects.

Breakout Discussion

Nowadays, the raw materials sector is carefully examined not only by the authorities, but also by the general public. Many misunderstandings often ensue from the communication between different parties - they could even derive from the raw materials sector itself. These misunderstandings can many times hinder the development of the raw materials sector.

The discussion in this session mainly focused on what causes the initial misunderstandings; what further escalates the situation; how to link this phenomenon to SLO; and how to use this acknowledgement to improve the current situation and contribute to the regional development.

The participants perceived that the cause of many misunderstandings, which derive from the raw materials sector itself, usually are due to oversimplification during the communication and information dissemination and a general lack of transparency. The general public, on the other hand, usually tend to have outdated information and a lack of knowledge about the raw materials sector, for example concerning modern mining technologies. Another factor that causes misunderstandings is the general perception that people usually have of mining. People tend to perceive the raw materials sector as something dirty and they do not necessarily see the added value of this sector to the general development of the region. Factors that further escalate a situation of misunderstandings constitute, according to the participants, the different parties’ motives, values and priorities, which are further exacerbated by pressure from unions, interest groups and political parties. The disinterest of the general public in available information and relevant issues can also contribute to an escalated situation.

The question relevant for this session is thus, how does this phenomenon link to SLO? The participants found that education for the general public on raw materials and the raw materials sector is of great importance to avoid misunderstandings and to increase their knowledge and approval of the sector. This awareness-rising could be done by increasing people’s knowledge of the presence of raw materials in everyday products and by labelling products with their raw materials content. It is also important to inform people of the very high environmental and social standards that European companies mining raw materials are operating under due to rather strict legislations.

The final question is then how to use the acknowledgement to improve the current situation and contribute to the regional development? The participants found it important that mining companies mine locally at the highest possible standard and that also secondary raw materials recovery and production is done at a local level. In addition, the general awareness of the consumption of raw materials should increase.

Comments

Social License to Operate

Tue, 22/01/2019 - 09:00

GKZ

Public / Private

Public

Skills and research for the mining of the future

Ryan Titley — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 08:54:25 +0000

Skills and research for the mining of the future Ryan Titley Fri, 20/12/2019 - 09:54

Until recently, mining was a synonym for the industrial crisis of “old” Europe. Mine shafts became a part of our industrial heritage and a reminder for a vanished tradition. But times have changed: mining in Europe plays a more and more important role in securing access to important raw materials for the future.

But where are the experts and the future innovations for the mining of tomorrow? What is necessary in research to assure that Europe can explore important raw materials on its own territory? How will mining fit into an increasingly circular economy? The Saxony Liaison Office in Brussels organised a side event to the European Week of Cities and Regions with the title Skills and Research for the Mining of the Future, where speakers from the field discussed and debated these questions.

Mining is still big business in Europe with 320,000 jobs and around 30,000 mines and quarries. Raw materials are the start of increasingly complex value chains. But as the importance of minerals increases, Europe is faced with importing valuable materials. As battery technologies improve and usage increases, the EU only produces 1% of its needs in lithium and graphite. This is why raw materials are no longer an afterthought but are a key aspect of the future EU policy.

Europe faces a supply challenge but has a long history of mining technology and skills. We now need to pick up the new challenges in techniques, technologies and talent and also exploit the networks that exist around Europe in mining. Mining is not just technology and talent but also must respond to social challenges and here there is a need to improve links to the local communities through ‘social licences to operate’ which build legitimacy and trust. Mines are man-made and as such can have a life after their lifetime – industrial heritage, re-landscaping encouraging new tourism, industrial usage, agriculture, energy storage, etc. Mines can also serve as research infrastructure and more thinking needs to be done around open access for researchers from across the EU and the standardisation, collection and sharing of data.

Support for mining and raw material production can come from many levels. The EIT on Raw Materials encourages a systematic approach to research, innovation and business development. The mining project MIREU encourages regions to share expertise and coordinate mining activities within regional innovation strategies where appropriate.

Please find below the presentations from the Saxony event Skills and Research for the Mining of the Future.

Comments

Networking Regions

GKZ

Thu, 18/10/2018 - 10:00

Public / Private

Public

Document

Skills and Research for the Mining of the Future_2019-12-20_2144.pdf

Skills and Research for the Mining of the Future_2019-12-20_2145.pdf