Europe needs experts to master the complex issues of a Social Licence to Operate (SLO), as currently many raw materials projects are severely delayed due to opposition from communities.

European engineering education pays little attention to SLO.

To bridge this gap, an alliance of SLO experts from research, universities and industry will design and deliver a tailored PhD school. It will be based around challenges provided by the industry, facilitated by innovative teaching/learning methods.

The rapid identification of critical compounds is crucial for an adequate sorting and inherently the adapted recycling that will enable Circular Economy. RAMSES-4-CE innovates optical spectroscopy-based multi-sensor systems for the recycling industry. We focus on (1) developing a Raman sensor, (2) its integration in a LiF-HSI system (EIT inSPECtor), (3) advanced multi-source data fusion + machine learning for rapid data integration.

The project will develop a flowsheet and pilot for sustainable processing of rare earth elements, which are critical raw materials for the Green Deal (permanent magnets in wind turbines and EV's). The Fen Carbonatite Complex is likely Europe’s largest rare earths deposit and could potentially cover a large share of European demand. The consortium holds extensive experience in beneficiation and hydrometallurgy, and will complete an industrial pilot by 2025 and be in commercial production by 2028.

The RaVeN is a new two-year M.Sc. degree scheme. Taking into account the wide geographical spectrum, diversification and needs of social inclusion, the capacity of higher education in the RIS and ESEE region is being built. Its main strength is its innovative approach to teaching through an active learning path by integrating the KTI along the value chain through the involvement of non-academic experts, mobility exchanges, industry and start-ups.

It is time to include advanced technologies and tools for transforming the raw materials sector, by using Earth Observation. The RawMatCop Alliance project aims to develop a comprehensive learning schedule to promote the use of Copernicus data and Remote Sensing techniques, contributing a safe and sustainable supply of mineral resources. The learning programme covers the whole mining cycle from exploration to exploitation and post-mining. The targets are students, industry and researchers.

RECOPP aims to transition the environmentally and economically sustainable recovery of added-value raw materials Bismuth (Bi) and Antimony (Sb) and removal and inertisation of Arsenic (As) from the residues and by-products generated during the pyrometallurgical production of Copper (Cu), based on RECOPP fast track proven technologies (TRL 5), to a TRL of 7(pilot scale) to validate this technological solution at such operational environment.

Europe aims to reduce the dependence on CRM importations to guarantee the deployment of low-carbon technologies. The REECOVERY solution will allow MLF to produce valuable (Zn, Cu) and CRM (REE, Co) from challenging metal influenced acid water, thanks to an innovative R&R treatment train, commercialized by AQUA, that will use chemicals considered as waste/by-products from other industries as an example of industrial symbiosis and circular economy.

ReLiFe aims to pave the way for a 66 ktn treatment capacity recycling plant for recovering lithium carbonate (3.6 ktn /year) , iron phosphate (12.6 ktn /year), - graphite (9 ktn /year) from end-of-life and scrap LFP batteries utilizing a process with 30% lower cost and 90% lower CO2 emission compared to current recycling processes deploying thermal pretreatment. ReLiFe will supply 1.5% of the EU Li demand and cover SUNLIGHT raw material requirements for battery cells manufacturing.