The supply of a range of ores and metals is the main target of the EIT RawMaterials innovation community. Bio-based and polymer materials will be considered only given their substitution potential of critical and toxic materials and for optimised performance or multi-material product recycling. Petrochemical raw materials, food/agricultural raw materials and construction materials are excluded.

Examples are:

1. Exploration: Technologies and solutions for improved and new mineral exploration. As an example, solutions could include:

• New and improved geological models, better exploration model understanding and techniques for going 3D/4D, drones, etc.
• New instrumentation, methods and technologies for more reliable, cheaper, faster and safer mineral exploration, including technologies and services for innovative data acquisition, big data analysis/handling and utilise existing/historical dataset for exploration and mining.
• Application of new innovations, new geological models and rethinking/re-evaluations of geological settings/prospects to provide new exploration prospects and mining targets.

2. Intelligent Mining: Technologies and solutions for more efficient, safer and sustainable modern mining. As an example, solutions could include:

• Application of new technologies/services for more efficient production, better safety, better utilisation of equipment and employees for mining. Autonomous mining equipment, Internet of Things, virtual reality, UAVs/robotics, automation, real-time data that will improve planning, scheduling of operations, and delivering better efficiencies and cost savings. Self-aware and safe machines that are capable of ordering their spare parts and service engineers, and be connected, control centres and back offices far away.
• Innovative services, approaches and products to ensure public understanding and awareness about the need for raw materials, exploration and mining, ensure corporate social responsibility and social license to operate as well as added values of mining including remediation.

3. Mineral and metallurgical processes: Technologies and solutions for mineral and metal processing and improved material production. As an example, solutions could include:

• Optimised extraction and production processes for metals and alloys, improving the efficiency of the process, using less energy and water, reducing cost and the production of waste.
• Technology that addresses equipment-damage problems such as wall thinning, creep, and corrosion.

4. Recycling: Technologies and solutions for materials supply from secondary sources and recycling. As an example, solutions could include:

• Solutions for recycling of end-of-life products, extraction from industrial residues, tailings, urban and landfill mining (e.g. WEEE, batteries, magnets, solar cells etc.).
• Cost-efficient and clever collection, dismantling and sorting of waste.

5. Substitution of critical and toxic materials and for optimised performance: New technologies or services that make it possible to substitute or use less critical or toxic materials in key industries. As an example, solutions could include:

• Substitution of critical and toxic metals in specific energy materials, like Platinum in fuel cells, Cobalt in lithium-ion batteries, Nd and Dy in Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets.
• Substitution of critical and toxic metals like Co and W in carbides, speciality metals in high strength steels and superalloys, incl. the design and manufacturing.
• New material systems that contain no or less critical and toxic materials, for instance, for the use in batteries, permanent magnets, solar cells, and thermoelectric and magnetocaloric applications.
• New/optimized materials for additive manufacturing, e.g., in printable electronics.
• New lightweight composites and designs as substitutes for critical materials containing high strength steels and for optimised performance.
• Solutions that integrate new materials into a Circular Economy, e.g., technology and business that enables and builds upon the reuse and recycling of newly developed, high-performance materials.
• New products, systems, and services for optimised raw materials use, particularly with respect to mobility and energy technologies.

6. Circular economy: Solutions and business models implementing circular economy concepts. As an example, solutions could include:

• New business models for resource recovery, product life extension (repairing, re-manufacturing, etc.), product as a service, sharing platforms.

In this Booster Call 2020, EIT RawMaterials is particularly seeking companies developing solutions dealing with:

• Sustainable Discovery and Supply of primary and secondary resources (innovative solutions based for example on artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality etc.) for securing and processing strategic mineral resources in a sustainable and safe way and with a social license to operate.
• Sustainable Materials for Future Mobility (e.g. materials for electrification such as batteries, fuel cells, magnets; materials for lightweight designs such as steels, non-ferrous alloys, composites, multimaterials etc.).
• Raw Materials and Circular Societies (new circular business models such as reuse, repair, remanufacturing, sharing economy).

To get in touch with your regional EIT RawMaterials Innovation Hub, please check the list of Hubs and countries covered by them:

• Innovation Hub Baltic Sea: Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states
• Innovation Hub East: Poland, Northern Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Greece, Romania, Slovakia
• Innovation Hub Central: France, Southern Germany, Switzerland and Portugal
• Innovation Hub North: Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Norway
• Innovation Hub South: Spain, Italy and Hungary
• Innovation Hub West: Belgium, the Netherlands, UK, North-Western Germany

• Start-up and SME Booster Alumni
• Partners of the world’s largest innovation community in the raw materials sector