Project duration: 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2021

Objective

The AMIR-RIS project consists of the consolidation and improvement of the AMIR pilot, which attracted 14 students in its first year, and an extension to partners in Hungary and Portugal who belong to the ESEE/RIS regions. AMIR-RIS involves 6 universities, 5 RTOs and 3 companies including Veolia, who provided advice to the programme design. We claim funding dedicated to 2 new cohortes of respectively 32 students.

The consolidated AMIR Master involving 6 European universities, together with 5 RTOs and three representative industrial partners, educates T-shaped professionals for the raw materials recycling industry. They will have extensive knowledge of materials sciences specialized in recycling, and a good understanding of the related processes along the value chain, as well as the concepts and tools for achieving innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability.

The solution (technology)

The programme provides a strong link to key industries and RTOs that offer high-quality internship programmes of a great benefit for each student for tracking the perfect job. By extending the programme to the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and the University of Miskolc, Hungary, the Master covers now a wide range of EU countries, including in Eastern and Southern Europe that are part of the Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS).

Partners

• Université de Bordeaux, France (Lead Partner)
• Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas M.P., CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), Spain
• ArcelorMittal Maizières Research SA, Spain
• Arkema France, France
• Centre de Recherches Métallurgiques asbl (CRM Group), Belgium
• Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CEA (French Alternative  Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), France
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (Fraunhofer), Germany
• Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
• Tecnalia Ventures, S.L., Sociedad Unipersonal, Spain
• Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, UPM (Technical University of Madrid), Spain
• Universidade Nova de Lisboa (New University of Lisbon) – Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FCT NOVA), Portugal
• Université de Liège, Belgium
• University of Miskolc, Hungary
• Veolia Recherche et Innovation (VERI), France

For more information, please visit the project website.

Project duration: 1 January 2018 – 31 December 2020

Objective

Educate T-shaped professionals for the full raw materials value chain with a deep expertise in sustainable functional materialsand a deep entrepreneurship mindset.

The solution (technology)

AMIS will tackle the theme substitution of critical or toxic materials in products and for optimised performance. It will also cover material chain optimisation for end-of-life products, and product and services design for the circular economy — all of which are central themes of the EIT RawMaterials. The primary focus of the adaptation is on metal and mineral raw materials. Bio-base and polymer materials are covered in view of their substitution potential and other materials in the context of multi-material product recycling. In addition, the AMIS programme includes a solid package of courses and project work in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Partnership

• Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (Grenoble Institute of Technology, INP), France (Lead Partner)
• Aalto-Korkeakoulusaatio (Aalto University), Finland
• ArcelorMittal Maizières Research SA, France
• Arkema, France
• Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), France
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (Fraunhofer), Germany
• Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum vzw, IMEC (Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre), Belgium
• Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
• Université de Bordeaux, France
• Université de Liège, France

For more information, please visit the project website.

Project duration: 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2024

Objective

AMIS is an EIT-labelled Master programme. Its objective is to educate students in materials science with a focus on substitution of critical & toxic materials and to give them a broad vision on the full raw materials value chain. Thanks to an innovative curriculum in line with the EIT RawMaterials strategy and including a solid I&E component, students will act as game changers to find innovative & sustainable solutions towards a circular economy.

The solution (technology)

AMIS is an international Master programme in Advanced Materials for Innovation and Sustainability. The primary objective of the programme is to educate students in materials science with a focus on substitution of critical and toxic materials and to give them a broad vision on the full raw materials value chain. AMIS involves five renowned university partners and three industrial partners and RTOs. Thanks to an innovative curriculum in line with the EIT Raw Materials strategy and including a solid I&E component, AMIS graduates will act as game changers to find innovative and sustainable solutions to achieve a circular economy helping European society to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Partnership

• Aalto University, Finland
• ArcelorMittal France, France
• French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, France
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Germany
• Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
• Université de Bordeaux, France
• Université de Liège, Belgium
• Grenoble Institute of Technology, INP (Lead Partner), France

For more information, please visit the project web page.

Project duration: 1 January 2018 – 31 March 2021

Objective

ANCORELOG, the analytical core logging system, aims to deliver precise real-time and online information deducted from chemical, physical and textural sample properties through a combination of innovative technologies. Precise measurements of chemical element concentrations on the sample surface will be weighted and interpolated to the full sample volume. Additionally physical and textural sample parameters will be considered for a classification of rock samples into geological, geotechnical and geometallurgical domains using algorithms designed to fulfil end-user needs.

During the stages of raw material exploration, mining, extraction, processing and recycling a huge amount of rock and soil samples have to be analyzed in terms of chemical, physical and mineralogical properties. These samples may occur in the form of hand specimen or soils in an early exploration stage, drill core (hard or soft rock) and cuttings (chips) during the different drilling campaigns, or dust during processing and recycling. A considerable amount of time and costs are associated with sample collection (drilling), sample preparation, sample transport and subsequent manual characterization and laboratory analysis. Gaining high-value information in a timely manner at each stage of a project is important in order to avoid time delay and additional costs.

The solution (technology)

Smart classification algorithms convert measured properties (“big data”) into geological, geotechnical and geometallurgical domains (“intelligent data”) on-site in real time supporting and speeding up decision making.

Partnership

• DMT GmbH & Co. KG, Germany (Lead Partner)
• Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Germany
• Catura Geoprojects (Geosciences Conseil), France
• ERAMET Research, France
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Germany
• Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Finland
• J&C Bachmann GmbH, Germany
• LTB Lasertechnik Berlin GmbH, Germany
• LTU Business AB, Sweden
• Minas de Aguas Teñidas SAU, Spain
• Université de Liège, Belgium
• Université Paris Sud-Paris Saclay, France

Project duration: 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2016

Objective

The project provides a better base for decision makers such as local and regional political actors to raise the European society awareness of the circular economy and to provide a better transparency for European citizens in the raw materials field.

The solution (technology)

Regional workshops and one European workshop will be executed.

Partnership

• Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, RWTH Aachen, Germany (Lead Partner)
• Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd. for Applied Research, Hungary
• Geological Survey of Slovenia, GeoZS, Slovenia
• Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium
• TU Clausthal (Clausthal University of Technology), Germany
• Université de Liège, Belgium

For more information, please visit the project web page.

Project duration: 1 April 2017 – 31 March 2019

Objective

The ArcHub project aims at establishing a network of excellence for sustainable mineral exploration and extraction in the Arctic. Such a Network would act as an Arctic Gateway and Forum to further strengthen synergy between research, education, governmental organizations and industry in the Arctic region/Europe promoting environmentally and socially sustainable extraction of resources.

The solution (technology)

ArcHub will go across all four EIT RawMaterials activities and touch on several of the six knowledge and innovation themes, starting with exploration and raw material resource assessment, mining in challenging environments and increased resource efficiency in mineral and metallurgical processes, including technical centres and analytical and modelling infrastructure as well as potentially pilot plants. An independent across-border gateway and forum on exploration and exploitation across the Arctic and Europe have not been established before. The main goal is that the ArcHub project will improve and identify synergies and exchange of know-how and experience that in the very end will result in more exploration and exploitation activities in Europe and Arctic. The main impact will also be that the Arctic exploration and exploitation community will have a common, strong and unified forum. The target end-customers are SMEs concerned with mineral exploration, larger mining and exploration companies as well as politicians and governments. From numerous dialogues, meetings, workshops and conferences related to the Arctic, the identified primary needs are:

• Better exploration and extraction methods that may or may not be unique to the Arctic. This requires research, innovation and implementation testing in pilot plants and will benefit from a close collaboration with an Exploration Lighthouse Programme and a High Tech Sustainable Mine Lighthouse Programme.
• Better treatment methods for mine waste and tailings. The sensitive Arctic environment and also fragile societies need unique solutions. Again the ARCHUB would benefit from a close collaboration with a High Tech Sustainable Mine Lighthouse Programme.
• Better understanding of societal issues specific to the Arctic region and a general strengthening of the licence to operate. Issues include exploitation of living resources, indigenous peoples right, permitting and legal issues, and environmental considerations.
• Better knowledge of where the most promising mineral resources are located in order to either direct targeted mineral exploration or manage land use plans and infrastructure investment.

Key beneficiaries are many, but foremost include the people and communities in the Arctic, as they are enabled to build a responsible, sustainable industry and attract investment. The EU benefits as exploration and production of primary raw materials in Europe increases. The industry benefits by getting into dialogue with research and government to join forces towards innovation in mineral exploration (decreasing financial risk), mining and waste management (decreasing direct costs and environmental impact). Exploration and mining have an additional set of challenges when it comes to the Arctic – it is cold, it is too dark or too light, it is remote, there is permafrost, there is a lack of local skilled labour, there is extremely sensitive and vulnerable environment. All of these challenges are challenges for mineral and metallurgical processes as well. Methods developed for exploration, extraction, environmental mitigation and protection in the Arctic require innovative world-class technology, which will be easily transferable to other environments and help ensure best practices wherever we extract our primary resources. The ArcHub project will thus address several of the six knowledge and innovation themes, most importantly, exploration and raw material resource assessment, mining in challenging environments and increased resource efficiency in mineral and metallurgical processes. This project will build up the community of Arctic exploration and mining in the EIT RawMaterials with strong leverage to other activities having the potential to bringing the EIT RawMaterials partners to the forefront of innovation in this field. The focus on the Arctic has the potential of increasing the number of critical raw material resources, SMEs, creation of new jobs, research innovation and investment in pilot plants or infrastructure. The ArcHub project will thus establish a network across the knowledge triangle by establishing a platform for business, research and higher education addressing the diversity of challenges in the Arctic with a great potential for significant innovation. A key success factor on a short-term is a better appreciation of stakeholders in government, academia and industry, resulting in common understanding and jointly targeted research in developing a responsible and sustainable Arctic minerals industry. Another important success criterion is regular submittal of research proposals and sustainable dissemination of results amongst the stakeholders. This is ensured by the regular workshops and controlled by presentation and education and training programs.In the longer term, an increase in exploration expenditures and exploration success rates is the expected outcome, and in the even longer term, an increase in primary raw materials production in the European Arctic, including Greenland will define the success of this project.

Partnership

• Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Denmark (Lead Partner)
• DMT GmbH & Co., Germany
• Geologian tutkimuskeskus, GTK (Geological Survey of Finland), Finland
• Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Sweden
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Germany
• Luleå University of Technology (LTU), Sweden
• Research Institute of Sweden AB (RISE), Sweden
• Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• University of Limerick, Ireland
• University of Oulu, Finland
• Uppsala University, Sweden

Project duration: 1 January 2017 – 31 December 2017

Objective

The project objective is to invite top-notch speakers to deliver an advanced training in the field of hydrometallurgy with a special focus on strategic metals. The audience would be targeted on R&D; researchers from university, research centre and industrial partners carrying on research on non-ferrous metal recycling. A one week (five days) training session will be organised in Liège during 2017. The foreseen learning outcomes are a better fundamental understanding of physicochemical phenomenon governing any hydrometallurgical processes.

The solution (technology)

The expected direct impacts are a better design of experimentation plans, a better interpretation of experimental results, a higher perception of potentials technological bottleneck or threats regarding the developments of a new process. Consecutive indirect impacts should be time and costs savings during implementation of hydrometallurgy related research projects

Partnership

• Université de Liège, Belgium (Lead Partner)
• Atlantic Copper S.L.U., Spain
• Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières, BRGM (The French geological survey), France
• ERAMET Research, France
• National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Project duration: 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022

Objective

The AUSOM project aims at bringing an automatic sorting technology for metal alloys based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to the market. It will bring a higher quality secondary raw material supply to the European market and meet the identified needs of a robust and cost-effective design that can be incorporated in existing sorting logistics and is capable of sorting steel as well as aluminium and other metals.

The solution (technology)

The project aims at bringing a robust cost effective sorting technique based on laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for sorting of shredded scrap metal, to the market. LIBS is today the only existing technique that has the capability to on-line identify also the lighter alloying elements such as e.g. Si, Al, and Mg. A sorting system based on LIBS therefore has the capabilities to sort e.g. the aluminum fractions Zorba and MLC (mixed low copper) and also other metals such as steel alloys. MLC alone is estimated to have an increased value of 860€ per ton when sorted and several hundreds of thousand tons of MLC waste occurs in a year in Europe.
While commercial LIBS sensors already exist, there is a need for a more cost-effective and robust solution that can address a higher scrap throughput, dirty materials, and a variety of metals such as steel alloys. A prototype for such a system has been developed by Swerim and RISE Acreo and tested at several scrap sorting facilities. The AUSOM project now aims at further developing this prototype to work under the conditions needed for scrap sorting equipment such as the XRF-based solutions developed by Redwave. The target is to have a scalable system to meet both the needs of smaller and larger recycling facilities.

Partnership

• Galloo, Belgium
• Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium
• LTU Business AB, Sweden
• REDWAVE, a division of BT-Wolfgang Binder GmbH, Austria
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Sweden
• Spectral Industries BV, Netherlands
• Swerim AB (Lead Partner), Sweden

Project duration: 1 January 2018 – 31 March 2021

Objective

In the project AutoBatRec2020, the close cooperation of the battery recycler Umicore, the battery producer Samsung, the automotive group Daimler and the recycling plant manufacturer ImpulsTec, covering the whole value chain and supported by the respective R&D skills of TU BA Freiberg, CEA and Fraunhofer in batteries, recycling, process automation and resource strategies, will give the chance to change the game in that field.

The holistic approach to creating an industrialized battery recycling process with high efficiency, high throughput, and high recovery rate is essential for the sustainable implementation of electric mobility and green energy in Europe.

The solution (technology)

AutoBatRec2020 will bring automotive battery recycling to a new level. It has the aim to develop an industrialized recycling process in Europe that provides a sustainable raw materials source for its high-tech industry.

Partnership

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Germany (Lead partner)
• French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), France
• Daimler AG, Germany
• ImpulsTec, Germany
• Samsung SDI Battery Systems GmbH Austria, Austria
• Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF), Germany
• UMICORE NV, Belgium