ANEFA, as coordinator of the European project SCIMIN-CRM, funded by the European Commission, has recently held a strategic meeting with the project’s International Advisory Board (IAB), a high-level consultative body supporting the project’s development.
The IAB brings together representatives from leading European and international organisations in the mining and raw materials sector, including Aggregates Europe, Euromines, the Global Aggregates Information Network (GAIN), Aggregates Business Europe, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and Strategic Minerals Spain.
During the meeting, the consortium presented the technical and strategic progress of the project, which involves 21 partners from 10 European countries and aims to boost the recovery of critical and non-critical raw materials from mine waste facilities (MWFs).
A key highlight was the project’s alignment with the European Critical Raw Materials Act, particularly Article 27, which focuses on the recovery of critical raw materials from extractive waste. SCIMIN-CRM is proactively addressing this regulatory framework through the development of innovative valorisation solutions.
The project is developing a collaborative digital platform designed to enable a rapid assessment of the valorisation potential of mine waste through a “fast-path” approach, significantly reducing feasibility analysis time. In parallel, advanced processing and recovery technologies are being implemented across four pilot sites located in Spain, Sweden, Austria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
These pilot cases cover a wide range of materials, including fluorite, rare earth elements, base metals, and bauxite, demonstrating scalable solutions adaptable to different geological and operational contexts, while contributing to increased access to both primary and secondary raw materials in Europe.
Beyond technical developments, SCIMIN-CRM also addresses key aspects such as circular economy, environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and social acceptance of mining activities. In this context, the project goes beyond technology, contributing to governance models, strategic frameworks, and shared knowledge to strengthen the resilience of the European mining sector.
The meeting with the International Advisory Board provided an opportunity to validate the project’s approach, gather strategic feedback, and reinforce collaboration with key stakeholders at both European and international levels.
