CORDIS results pack on mineral extraction.
Date: 2020-10-16
Institutions: CORDIS, Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Publications Office of the European Union
Subjects: applied research, environmental protection, geology, mining extraction, new technology, raw material, research results

mineral extraction

ISSN 2599-8293

October 2020

Securing access to raw materials at 
minimum environmental and social costs

Research and 
Innovation

CORDIS Results Pack onA thematic collection of innovative EU-funded research resultsContents

3

Robotics, automation and 
5G go underground 

5

3D and X-ray vision for 
sustainable mining 

7

Reinventing the role of 
water and waste in mining

9

Deep-sea mining system 
for polymetallic nodules in 
the oceanic abyss

11

Explosive new 
development in  
small-scale mining

13

Novel modular mining 
equipment supports 
sustainable and cost-
effective mining in Europe

Editorial

State-of-the-art minerals extraction technologies developed by EU Horizon 
2020-funded research and innovation projects will reinforce the competitiveness 
of the EU industry and reduce negative environmental and health and safety 
impacts and risks. Contributing towards meeting ambitious energy and climate 
targets, the projects featured in this CORDIS Results Pack will help to gain the 
trust of EU citizens in the mining sector. 

Securing  sustainable  access  to  raw  materials,  such  as  metals  and  industrial  minerals,  is  crucial 
to achieving the objectives of The European Green Deal. This is a new growth strategy that aims 
to  transform  the  EU  into  a  fair  and  prosperous  society,  with  a  modern,  resource-efficient  and 
competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where 
economic growth is decoupled from resource use. 

Sustainable use of raw materials, and especially critical raw materials (CRMs) of high importance to 
the EU economy, is one of the main requirements for this change to take place. The challenge for the 
extractive industry is to scale up promising innovative production technologies and to demonstrate 
that raw materials can be extracted sustainably at minimum environmental and social costs. 

Reduced negative impacts

Crucial for Europe’s current industries and innovative clean technologies, CRMs are indispensable 
for the development of low-carbon technologies such as batteries, wind turbines and solar energy.

The accomplishments of six Horizon 2020-funded projects, focusing on innovative mineral extraction 
technologies with improved economic, environmental and health and safety performance, underline 
the significance of raw materials and the performance of some of the strongest innovators in the 
extractive industry.

Spotlight on EU research

In this CORDIS Results Pack we focus on the innovative results developed by Horizon 2020-funded 
projects working on minerals extraction technologies for a sustainable supply of raw materials. 

For example, bringing together the world’s leading mining companies, universities and technology 
suppliers, SIMS delivered demonstrators for the electrification and automation of mining equipment, 
and communication and positioning in mining operations.

The project X- MINE facilitated the implementation of large-scale innovative pilot actions of sensing 
technologies, improving the efficiency and sustainability of mining operations.

ITERAMS developed solutions for complete isolation of mining process waters from adjacent water 
systems, and the Blue Nodules project developed new highly automated technologies for the 
sustainable harvesting and in situ processing of deep-sea polymetallic nodules.

SLIM developed cost-efficient low-impact mining solutions for exploitation based on advanced rock 
blasting and environmental technologies for minimum rock damage and far-field vibrations. Finally, 
IMPaCT developed an integrated modular plant and containerised tools for selective, low-impact 
mining of small high-grade deposits.

Robotics, automation  
and 5G go underground

EU-funded research has jump-started an Industrial Revolution in the mining 

industry with automation, all-electric vehicles and 5G connectivity. Outcomes  

will enhance miner safety, mining sustainability and efficiency, and public support 

for the sector that supplies the raw materials instrumental to our economy.

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Our rocky planet is a treasure trove of valuable commodities, 
including  minerals  and  metals  used  by  sectors  as  varied  as 
automotive,  aerospace,  chemicals,  construction,  electronics 
and renewable energy. The mining sector is the bridge between 
these  raw  materials  and  industry  and  is  thus  critical  to  the 
world’s economy.

The EU is taking decisive action to reduce its dependence on 
imports  of  these  materials  and  enhance  supply  chain  security. 
Within  this  context,  improved  mine  worker  safety  and  reduced 
environmental impact of mining are key pillars. The EU-funded 
SIMS  project  brought  together  the  world’s  leading  mining 
companies, universities and technology suppliers to deliver 
intelligent mining systems that meet these important challenges.

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
Automation  and  robotic  control  in  the  underground  isolation 
of a mine is no easy task. The team developed and tested 
a  5G-enabled  industrial  communication  network  to  connect 
people,  data,  sensors  and  machines,  including  remote-
controlled mining machines. Even ventilation can be controlled 
via  the  5G  network,  based  on  sensors  in  the  mine.  Finally, 
the  team  created  two  virtual  reality  environments:  one  for 
personnel training, and another for raising public awareness 
and enhancing social acceptance.

Enhancing efficiency  

and creating safer,  

more sustainable mines

Gustafsson concludes: “SIMS has demonstrated that the further 
digitalisation,  automation  and  use  of  robots  in  the  mining 
industry will contribute to enhanced safety, higher efficiency 
and less harm to the environment.” Moving the industry towards 
sustainable  mining  while  unlocking  the  potential  of  mineral 
reserves  and  simultaneously  creating  ergonomic  and  safe 
workplaces should improve public acceptance and trust.

P R OJ E C T
SIMS - Sustainable Intelligent Mining Systems 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
Epiroc Rock Drills AB, Sweden

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730302

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
simsmining.eu/ 

Blazing a trail

A  few  years  ago,  the  mining  industry  began  formulating  a 
technological roadmap of where the industry should be within 
10  years.  In  response  to  the  challenges,  SIMS  delivered  a 
wealth  of  new  technologies  related  to  digitalisation,  robotics 
and  automation  to  promote  safer  mines,  fewer  atmospheric 
emissions, less land and water pollution, and higher efficiency. 
According  to  project  coordinator  Jan  Gustafsson,  of  Epiroc: 
“SIMS is a pioneering project in the mining sector. Within 3 years, 
our team created multiple demonstrators of these envisioned 
technologies,  proved  them  in  real  mining  environments, 
and advanced them as industry standard technologies.”

Towards an  

‘Industrial Revolution’  

in the mining industry 

The third Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 3.0 as 
more commonly applied to factories, witnessed the integration 
of electronics, telecommunications, computers and robotics into 
operations and processes. SIMS has created 
just such a movement in the mining sector 
with sustainable intelligent mining, focused 
on the automation of key operations such 
as driving, inspection, blasting and material 
handling.  Numerous  battery-powered 
machines were developed and verified in a 
real mining environment.

A new generation of battery-operated all-
electric vehicles and the infrastructure for 
battery charging and handling were created 
to  replace  conventional  diesel  fleets.  The 
vehicles are bustling about and the working 
environment  for  miners  is  substantially 
improved  thanks  to  less  diesel  particulate 
matter,  noise  and  vibration.  A  literally 
groundbreaking controlled seismic de-stress 
blasting  method  together  with  improved 
installation of rock bolt and mesh (rock reinforcement) increased 
installation efficiency by 64 % and significantly enhanced miner 
safety.  Autonomous  aerial  inspection  of  mines  and  a  vehicle-
mounted real-time imaging system for crack detection were also 
successfully demonstrated.

SIMS has 
demonstrated that 
the further 
digitalisation, 
automation and use 
of robots in the 
mining industry will 
contribute to 
enhanced safety, 
higher efficiency 
and less harm to 
the environment.

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
 
 
 
 
 
3D and X-ray vision for 
sustainable mining

A major fraction of minerals used in Europe come from outside the EU as imports. 

A multidisciplinary European consortium has advanced X-ray and 3D technologies 

to help European industry to better access mineral resources in Europe and decrease 

import dependency.

The  European  Union  is  facing  the  challenge  of  a  high 
dependence on imports of raw materials which support sectors 
that have a combined value in excess of EUR 1 000 billion 
and provide employment for some 30 million people.

© Orexplore AB

There  is  a  need  for  better  exploration 
methods  to  discover  mineral  resources 
within  the  EU  and  to  make  ore  extraction 
in existing mining operations more efficient. 
This would make the mining of smaller and 
complex  deposits  economically  feasible 
while  increasing  access  to  European 
mineral  resources  in  an  environmentally 
friendly way.

The  EU-funded  X-MINE  project  set  out 
to  demonstrate  cutting-edge  sensing 
technologies using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), 
X-ray  transmission  (XRT)  and  3D  vision 
technologies.  The  team  has  developed 
the  X-Analyser,  a  drill  core  scanner,  and 
the  X-AnalySorter,  a  mobile  sorter,  for 
demonstration at mines in Sweden, Greece, 
Bulgaria and Cyprus. 

The main 
deliverable  
of the project  
is the X-MINE online 
analysis platform, 
which includes  
the drill core 
analyser, the 
mineral sorting 
system and the  
3D ore deposit 
modelling, all 
combined with  
the data fusion 
platform.

Developing new 

technologies

Project partners developed several prototypes of 3D cameras, 
X-ray  cameras  and  XRF  spectrometers  and  tested  them  in 
pilot settings. They integrated their 3D vision and X-ray sensor 
technologies into a conventional mineral sorting technology and 
an X-ray drill core scanner. “The main deliverable of the project 
is the X-MINE online analysis platform, which includes the drill 
core analyser, the mineral sorting system and the 3D ore deposit 
modelling,  all  combined  with  the  data  fusion  platform,”  says 
project coordinator Janne Paaso.

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costsX-MINE researchers developed fast single-photon counting, 
multi-energy XRT camera prototypes, a new XRF spectrometer 
and a new 3D camera platform for mineral exploration and 
extraction applications. The team has also improved the existing 
3D  tomographic  drill  core  scanning  technology  Orexplore  in 
many  ways,  including  novel  sensing  technology,  element 
and mineral analysis, and enhanced analysis software. They 
demonstrated  the  drill  core  scanner  technology  in  mines  in 
Greece and Sweden. 

“The integration of the drill core scanning data in 3D geomodels 
is ongoing, and the first results are really interesting and promising,” 
Paaso remarks.

Demonstrating X-AnalySorters

X-MINE  developed  two  container-based  mineral  sorting 
systems they call X-AnalySorters. These were created based on 
conventional X-ray sensors with improved sorting algorithms. The 
team installed the first AnalySorter system at the Lovisagruvan 
mine in Sweden, testing it on many different use case scenarios. 

“When applying this sorting model to sortable fractions, about 
25-27 % of the mass will be removed as waste rock and about 
95 - 98 % of ore minerals (zinc and lead) will be retained for 
further  processing,  making  possible  significant  reduction  in 
energy use and carbon dioxide emissions,” Paaso notes.

What’s next?

Project members developed their online analysis platform to be 
commercialised  as  products  of  companies  such  as  Orexplore, 
Comex,  Advacam.  “The  academic  institution  partners  of  the 
project will use the innovative results of the project in research 
and development cooperation with mining companies and other 
end users in the future,” Paaso concludes.

P R OJ E C T
X-MINE - Real-Time Mineral X-Ray Analysis for 
Efficient and Sustainable Mining 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730270

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
xmine.eu/ 

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costsReinventing the role of 
water and waste in mining

Mining operations use large amounts of water and land and produce tailings waste, 

taking a major toll on the environment. Researchers have developed technologies  

to help mining companies reduce their water consumption and extract value from 

their tailings waste.

Processed ore requires large amounts of water and is responsible 
for over 90 % of the mass of the waste stream produced. The 
unsustainable  use  of  water  must  be  reduced,  in  particular  by 
circulating the water for reuse, along with decreasing the volume 
of mining tailings by extracting more value from the waste.

The EU-funded ITERAMS consortium set out to develop a proof 
of  concept  for  more  environmentally  friendly  and  economic 
mining  operations  in  Europe  and  the  rest  of  the  world.  The 
project focused on making water recycling much more efficient 
and on making it possible to extract more value from tailings 
by turning these leftover materials into geopolymer cement for 
important uses such as backfilling and coating.

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
 
 
 
“This will bring cost savings and added income 
streams,  especially  for  small  mines,”  says 
project coordinator Päivi Kinnunen. “When the 
water is recycled and the mining waste is used 
as valuable products in geopolymers, the overall 
environmental  footprint  will  be  minimised  and 
the  mining  industry’s  performance  and  image 
will be improved.”

Analysing tailings  

in three countries

The ITERAMS researchers collected and analysed 
water and tailings samples from three mines in 
Finland,  Portugal  and  South  Africa.  They  chose 
these mines as they have varied seasonal and 
hydrogeological conditions, such as temperature 
and  the  availability  or  scarcity  of  fresh  and 
treated water.

When the water is 
recycled and the 
mining waste is 
used as valuable 
products in 
geopolymers, the 
overall 
environmental 
footprint will be 
minimised and the 
mining industry’s 
performance and 
image will be 
improved.

The  team  developed  online  and  continuous 
electrochemical  sensors  that  can  differentiate 
ions such as calcium, sulphate and thiosulphate 
ions to produce water-quality measurements. The 
researchers used microbiological analysis to show 
the importance of managing microorganisms in 
flotation plants.

“Sustainability  and  hot-spot  assessments  have 
confirmed  that  water  use  and  closing  water 
cycles  are  the  main  pressing  issues  in  mining, 
which  in  turn  reinforce  the  relevance  of  the 
ITERAMS  project,”  Kinnunen  explains.  “One  of 
the main aims of the project is to collect all 
information and develop a water-recycling protocol 
for the mine sites, and this protocol is currently 
under development.”

The  knowledge  created  from  the  project  will 
be instrumental in helping mining companies 
become  more  economically  sustainable  and  environmentally 
friendly in their operations.

Team members conducted a data analysis on the water, modelled 
water systems, developed real-time and online measurements 
for mining water and improved water treatment methods. They 
used  online  analytics  to  detect  low-grade  feed  material  that 
can  then  be  removed  to  improve  the  flotation  performance  of 
the  material.  ITERAMS  developed  different  approaches  for  the 
production of geopolymers from the tailings samples.

P R OJ E C T
ITERAMS - Integrated mineral technologies for 
more sustainable supply of raw materials 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland

Saving water and finding value 

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

in mining waste

Project  partners  developed  different  water  treatment 
technologies,  including  ion  exchange  resins,  polishing  filtration, 
electrocoagulation  and  dissolved  air  flotation.  They  used 
mathematical  modelling  to  find  the  best  experimental 
approaches to create closed water loops.

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730480

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
iterams.eu/ 

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
Deep-sea mining system 
for polymetallic nodules  
in the oceanic abyss

The deep seabed is a vast resource of raw materials, including critical raw materials 

(CRMs). Crucial for Europe’s current industries and innovative technologies, 

CRMs are indispensable for the development of key technologies for the energy 

transition such as batteries, wind turbines and solar energy.

This ambitious 
initiative is a major 
step in the 
development and 
testing of 
environmentally 
friendly seafloor 
harvesting and 
processing 
technologies for 
polymetallic 
nodules.

Polymetallic nodules found on the abyssal seabed of most 
ocean basins contain millions of tonnes of metals such as 
nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese as well as gallium and 
rare earth elements. Efficient deep-sea mining of these nodules 
requires a complete high-tech mining value chain but, to date, 
no integrated system of harvesting, vertical 
transport and surface processing has ever 
reached industrial viability. Simultaneously, 
it  is  vital  to  understand  the  biodiversity 
and  the  ecosystems  of  the  deep-sea 
so  that  effective  environmental  impact 
assessment  standards  and  regulation  are 
put  in  place  to  respond  adequately  to 
future  deep-sea  mining  and  associated 
environmental challenges.

Seafloor to shore

With  EU  funding,  the  Blue  Nodules  project 
has  “designed  the  layout  of  the  entire 
logistics  chain  while  tackling  the  complex 
problem  of  environmental  protection  up 
to  technology  readiness  level  6  (TRL  6),”  
outlines Laurens de Jonge, project coordinator. “This ambitious 
initiative  is  a  major  step  in  the  development  and  testing  of 
environmentally  friendly  seafloor  harvesting  and  processing 
technologies for polymetallic nodules,” he says.

At  the  centre  of  operations  is  the  subsea  harvesting  vehicle 
Apollo II used for collection of the nodules in water depths 

up to 6 km. The seabed crawler is connected to the offshore 
production  vessel  with  a  jumper  hose  to  the  vertical  transport 
system and an umbilical cable, containing the data connections 
and electrical power supply. 

With in situ processing at the seabed, the nodules are separated 
from  the  sediments.  On  board  the  vessel,  the  nodules  are 
dewatered  and  the  deep  sea  water  is  returned  to  its  origin. 
Another ship then takes the ore for processing on land, to extract 
the metals. 

Minimal environmental impact

Using  detailed  computer  simulations,  the  Blue  Nodules  team 
developed a nodule collection process in which disturbance 
of  the  seabed,  which  is  essentially  soft,  sticky  sediment,  is 
reduced to a minimum. The model simulations for plume, noise 
and  seafloor  substrate  alteration  have  been  validated  by  lab 
experiments and field tests in 2018 and 2019.

Priority  was  given  to  minimising  the  mobilisation  of  seabed 
sediment and the dispersion of suspended sediment in plumes, 
caused by the vehicle movement, nodule extraction and return 
water from the surface operations.

For the future, the project researchers are working on reducing 
the kinetic energy of the plume released by the vehicle, which 
will in turn mean a smaller plume. They are also trying to remove 
hydraulic  components  to  reduce  the  risk  of  contamination  of 
the seafloor.

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs“Environmental  standards  in  legislation  only  make  sense 
if  they  can  be  incorporated  in  the  design  process,  in  the 
operation  and  can  be  consistently  monitored,”  de  Jonge 
emphasises.  “By  cooperation  between  science,  industry  and 
legislators  during  engineering  and  testing,  Blue  Nodules  not 
only  designed  sustainable  equipment  but  also  developed  a 
monitoring  and  sensor  setup.  This  will  measure,  detect  and 
objectively  quantify  the  environmental  impacts,  like  plume, 
noise and substrate alteration.”

Deep-sea mining  

to become a reality

The  successor  of  Blue  Nodules  is  the  Blue  Harvesting 
project.  With  many  of  the  original  partners,  Blue  Harvesting 
will  focus  on  developing  and  improving  the  collector  to 
reduce  environmental  impact  while  maintaining  production 
rate  and  efficiency.  Integrated  field  tests  and  pilot  mining 
tests  in  a  relevant  offshore  environment  will  attain  TRL  7.  

Comprising 167 Member States and the European Union, the 
International  Seabed  Authority  –  ISA  is  mandated  under  the 
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to organise, regulate and 
control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed 
area  for  the  benefit  of  humankind  as  a  whole.  The  ISA  has 
issued regulations on exploration in international waters and is 
currently working on regulations for exploitation.

P R OJ E C T
Blue Nodules - Breakthrough Solutions for the 
Sustainable Harvesting and Processing of Deep 
Sea Polymetallic Nodules 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
IHC MINING BV, Netherlands

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/688975

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
blue-nodules.eu/

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
 
 
 
 
Explosive new 
development in  
small-scale mining

Researchers have developed software and technology to help small-scale mining 

operations conduct targeted rock blasting with minimal effort and impact  

on the environment.

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There is currently no reliable solution to reduce the environmental 
impact of small-scale mines, especially considering that current 
mining  technology  relies  on  rock  blasting  and  mobile  mining 
equipment for loading and transportation.

explosives  in  small-scale  mining  operations.  Using  advanced 
automatic  blast  design  software,  the  SLIM  project  consortium 
focused  on  mitigating  typical  mining  issues  such  as  airborne 
particulate matter, vibrations and nitrate leaching.

Some of this equipment uses the expensive and difficult to install 
Measurement While Drilling (MWD) system, which is inefficient 
for small-scale mining operations.

The  EU-funded  SLIM  project  set  out  to  develop  cost-effective 
and  more  sustainable  ways  to  blast  and  fragment  rock  using 

“The  SLIM  approach  consists  of  injecting  state-of-the-art 
techniques into the mining operation by developing tools to 
control the excavation face, fine-tune the processing plant and 
reduce environmental effects, in order to improve feasibility and 
profitability of mines, and gain public acceptance and trust.”
says project coordinator José Sanchidrián. 

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
 
 
 
A new generation of explosives

Real world data for 

The SLIM team started by developing technologies capable of 
characterising explosives, identifying blasted rock fragments 
using artificial intelligence, and using systems that can predict 
the effect of certain explosives on specific rock types.

SLIM developed a new generation of explosives and smart- 
blast  design  software  that  can  characterise  rocks  better  than 
current systems and reduce the impact of rock blasting on the 
environment.  This  development  is  not  only  important  for  the 
European mining industry but for mining operations all over the 
world, to help them reduce economic cost and the environmental 
impact, such as groundwater contamination.

The  team  experimented  with  and  developed  models  to 
simulate  how  explosives  would  perform  in  mining  operations, 
to  understand  rock  fragmentation,  the  velocities,  and  the 
damage  caused.  Such  information  has  already  given  mining 
operations the data they need to better understand and improve 
their overall performance by being as efficient as possible with 
minimal environmental impacts.

MWD using LiDAR

SLIM developed and retrofitted a more cost-efficient Measuring 
While Drilling (MWD) system that uses the detailed analysis of 
photographs to predict the impact of explosives on target rock. 
In an effort to make mine planning smoother, the SLIM team 
created a system that uses light detection and ranging (LiDAR) 
to analyse rock damage and environmental impact after a blast, 
as opposed to the non-direct methods used currently.

The  SLIM  team  also  developed  a  software  that  mitigates 
negative impacts such as fly rock or vibrations, and characterises 
the  result  of  a  blast,  or  the  ‘muck  hole’.  “This  software  is 
important to improve the surface blasting work, as only reliable 
and correct assessments of blasting results improve mining 
operations,” Sanchidrián says.

further development

Minera de Órgiva, a SLIM partner from Spain, 
used improved rock excavation technologies 
and processing plant monitoring and control 
to  nearly  double  its  production  at  Sierra 
de Lújar mine. This enabled the profitable 
mining and processing of lower-yielding ore 
– from a cutoff grade of nearly 40 % fluorite 
to an expected cutoff of 20 % by the end of 
the project. The result is increasing reserves 
more  than  threefold  and  extending  the 
working life of the mine by at least 50 years. 

“The SLIM project partners have accumulated 
an  exceptional  amount  of  data  from 
laboratory  and  field  trials  and  this  dataset 
has  a  fundamental  value  in  facilitating 
future research and development in the fields 
of  explosives  technology,  rock  blasting, 
performance  assessment,  and  mining 
automation,” Sanchidrián concludes.

The SLIM approach 
consists of injecting 
state-of-the-art 
techniques into the 
mining operation by 
developing tools to 
control the 
excavation face, 
fine-tune the 
processing plant 
and reduce 
environmental 
effects, in order to 
improve feasibility 
and profitability of 
mines, and gain 
public acceptance 
and trust.

P R OJ E C T
SLIM - Sustainable Low Impact Mining  
solution for exploitation of small mineral  
deposits based on advanced rock blasting  
and environmental technologies 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730294

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
slim-project.eu/

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CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costsNovel modular mining 
equipment supports 
sustainable and cost-
effective mining in Europe

Earth is not running out of metallic and semi-metallic resources, but the largest, 

highest-grade, and shallowest deposits have been depleted. Enhancing the economic 

feasibility and adoption of lower-impact small-scale mining operations will address 

market needs and environmental protection while boosting competitiveness.

IMPaCT 
demonstrated that 
it is logistically 
possible to rapidly 
design, construct, 
deploy, refit, and 
redeploy 
modularised mining 
and processing 
equipment, powered 
by renewable or 
hybrid energy on 
existing mine sites. 
Importantly, the 
technology now 
exists to extensively 
apply best practices 
and responsibly 
access resources 
from more diverse 
types of ore 
deposits.

Global  material  extraction  has  risen  more 
than  200  %  since  1980  with  important 
impact on the environment. The EU-funded 
IMPaCT  project  focused  on  a  switch  on-
switch off (SOSO) mining paradigm similar 
to  plug-and-play  for  electronics.  It  cost-  
effectively accesses ore deposits while 
facilitating an ethical relationship with the 
community and the environment. 

Small-scale mining 

versus small deposits

Small-scale  mining  has  the  potential  to 
operate on both small, high-grade deposits 
and on large deposits to minimise economic 
risk.  Project  coordinator  Kathryn  Moore 
of  the  University  of  Exeter,  Camborne 
School of Mines explains: “We differentiate 
between  mining  of  small  deposits  and 
small-scale mining. The term small-scale 
relates  to  the  size  and  complexity  of 
mining operations and their impacts. The 
concept of small-scale mining has multiple 
possible modern contexts: mining of small 

deposits,  low-footprint  and  low-risk  mining  of  large  deposits, 
and artisanal mining.”

Flexible tools for  

the mining industry

A small underground mining tool works with more surgical-like 
precision,  extracting  the  desired  rock  while  damaging  less  of 
what is left behind. Its cutting head controls particle size at the 
rock  face,  reducing  the  subsequent  crushing  required.  Sorting 
technology separates the ore from the waste prior to crushing. 
A  portable  processing  plant  can  accommodate  various  types 
of  ore  deposits.  Finally,  the  infrastructure  can  be  mobilised 
in  standard  20-foot  containers,  decreasing  the  associated 
environmental impact of transport and deployment. 

The SOSO business model decreases capital investment costs 
by  renting  adaptable  total  mining  and  processing  solutions, 
savings that can be used for operating expenses. Tests at two 
sites in the Western Balkans showed that the time to install the 
equipment varied from a few days to only a few hours.

Reducing energy consumption is critical. Modelling showed that 
the  IMPaCT  system  dramatically  reduced  energy  consumption 
and that biomass or combined biomass-diesel energy provision 

13

CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costso
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in  the  Western  Balkans  is  as  reliable  and  more  cost-effective 
than fossil fuels alone. A policy brief was prepared to address 
required policy and societal framings to promote modern best 
practice for mining expansion in Europe.

No time like the present

The mining industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to 
the Covid-19 pandemic. The dramatic decrease in metal prices 
from  March  to  April  2020  has  been  compared  to  that  of  the 
financial crash of 2008-2009. Small deposit mining by small-
scale operations could not have come at a better time. “IMPaCT 
demonstrated  that  it  is  logistically  possible  to  rapidly  design, 
construct,  deploy,  refit,  and  redeploy  modularised  mining  and 
processing equipment, powered by renewable or hybrid energy 
on existing mine sites. Importantly, the technology now exists to 
extensively apply best practices and responsibly access resources 
from more diverse types of ore deposits,” Moore concludes.

To help end users identify and locate small, high-grade complex 
deposits,  the  team  has  extended  the  European  Minerals 
Knowledge  Data  Platform  with  a  data/visualisation  layer 
dedicated to small complex deposits. IMPaCT outcomes will 
help Europe rapidly initiate small-scale mining in response to 
high commodity prices or rapidly increased demand, and transfer 
operations to other locations with minimal environmental impact 
when economic viability for large-scale mining decreases.

P R OJ E C T
IMPaCT - Integrated Modular Plant and 
Containerised Tools for Selective, Low-impact 
Mining of Small High-grade Deposits 

C O O R D I N AT E D   B Y
University of Exeter, United Kingdom

F U N D E D   U N D E R
H2020

C O R D I S   FA C T S H E E T
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730411

P R OJ E C T   W E B S I T E
impactmine.eu/

CORDIS Results Pack on mineral extraction Securing access to raw materials at minimum environmental and social costs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORDIS Results Pack

Available online in 6 language versions: cordis.europa.eu/article/id/422229

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ISSN 2599-8285

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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020
© European Union, 2020

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RESULTS PACK ON  
MINERAL EXPLORATION

This Results Pack focuses on the innovative  
results developed by six Horizon 2020-funded  
projects working on exploration technologies for  
a sustainable supply of raw materials.

Check out the pack here: 
cordis.europa.eu/article/id/413488

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