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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Objectives of the commitment

The consortium behind this commitment has the ambition to work for an integrated, systemic view on Primary resources technologies and related non-technology actions as defined below. The systemic view means that both product focused and process focused actions are planned. We make the commitment based on the scope of the knowledge triangle where education, research and innovations within both the technology and non-technology pillars are tackled. The consortium behind the commitment is composed of key European industry, academia and institutes with a proven track record of excellence in RDI actions related to Primary resources.

The consortium has especially identified the priority areas IB (2-4), IIC (9-10), III (4) with the following content:
• Advanced technologies, materials and equipment for tooling, engineering, mining and metal producing industries,
• Development of innovative platforms for cooperation between Primary resources industry, SME and academia; large-scaled pilots, demonstrators,
• Mineral processing and metallurgy; energy efficiency, low grade ores,
• Exploration (including geometallurgy) and mining technologies; deep mining, mining methods and processes, ground control including seismicity and automation,
• ICT processes and modelling for Primary resources industry,
• Green mining and CRS enabling social licence to operate; low environmental impact, emissions, vibrations and disturbances, zero accidents, integration, gender and diversity.

Description of the activities

We will tackle challenges related to Primary resources based on the following activities:

Exploration
• Develop Common Exploration Models - Build 3/4D and numerical modeling capacity
• Develop projects which aims at a systemic thinking from exploration to products
• Innovation for new deep exploration drilling technologies and tools
• Development within 3D visualization and numerical modeling
• Develop real or near-real time data aquisition methods
• Develop real or near real-time analyzing methods
• Exploit the numerical modeling software used in high-tech industry for deep exploration
• Development of a geodata framework to enhance exploration investments
• Facilitate reopening of old economically sustainable deposits
• Research improvement or development of new geophysical methods with higher resolution and penetration depth
• Targeted ore genetic research and structural/tectonic studies to enable development of conceptual 3D/4D models
• Develop methods for resource characterization already at exploration stage

Extraction
• Develop energy efficient mining systems with low CO2 emissions
• Plant-wide studies of energy consumption, related to tribology and inefficient use of materials in tooling and transportation
• Develop an expert system, which includes all necessary questions and guidance to actions and solutions for several different sizes of plants and needs
• Develop new mining concepts, tools, machinery and technologies for extreme conditions
• Increasing automation in European mines
• Research to minimize the need for maintenance, develop service free and self-sustaining machines, predictable process oriented maintenance
• Develop image analysis for mining applications
• Develop traffic management and dispatch systems to enable full process control
• Develop tools and other components that are exposed to more or less severe contact with rock throughout the mining process with longer lifetime of tools
• Develop more robust handling and transportation processes, methods, systems and equipment
• Develop rock mechanics knowledge; secure rock, rock reinforcement that can cope with all situations
• Develop tools and methods for prediction of production conditions
• Develop of measurement while drilling (MWD) and analysis while drilling (AWD) techniques
• Develop optimized particle packing models for crushed rock of variable sizes, shapes and composition
• Develop concrete and asphalt rheology models and simulation with alternative aggregate materials

Mineral Processing
• Develop energy and water saving technologies in mineral processing
• Develop combined pre-treatment methods
• Modelling and simulation of flotation process
• Compile a comprehensive dataset on existing mining waste deposits, including chemical characteristics
• Increase efficiency of polymetallic concentrate treatment
• Improvements in flotation of ores posing difficulties in treatment

Metallurgy
• Develop holistic design and optimisation of an integrated metallurgical system (including pyro-, hydro-, bio-, electro-chemistry) for further primary and secondary metals processing and refining
• Develop carbon saving technologies in metallurgy
• Optimize mining and processing via geometallurgy and linking to extractive metallurgy
• Valorisation of current wastes by recovery of secondary products in combination with primary raw materials
• Develop alternative reduction processes which allow for production of metals without agglomeration
• Valorisation of process flue gases
• Control of impurities in closed water cycles

Description of the expected impacts

It is foreseen that the activities mentioned above will have the following impact:
• Increased recovery of metals and minerals from depths below 500
• Reduced cost €/drillmeter for discovery of new deposits
• More energy efficient exploration technologies
• Better depth penetration of geophysical methods
• By unlocking deeper deposits in the EU, increasing resource efficiency and by lower energy consumption by produced tonnes contribute to a lower import dependency at the same time as primary extraction in Europe will be more sustainable;
• Create new jobs in mining and equipment manufacturing industries
• Global leadership in areas of extraction concepts, technologies and related services;
• Reduce both the environmental impact of mining and improve the social license to operate
• Reduce energy and water consumption
• Improve productivity in harvesting and significantly reduce the risk for soil disturbances from forest machines
• Improved resource efficiency in mineral processing leading to decreased waste and turning waste into products
• A global leadership in the area of raw materials processing technologies
• Increased EU raw materials knowledge on available resources leading to an improved mineral intelligence in Europe
• Maximised resources efficiency along the entire raw materials value chain
• Increased number of highly qualified professionals in the raw materials sector

Coordinating organisation & role

Name of the coordinating organisation: Luleå University of TechnologyCountry: SwedenEntity profile: AcademiaRole within the commitment:

Luleå University of Technology (LTU) is a well renowned mining and Raw Materials university providing excellence in research, education and innovation along the primary resources value chain. LTU is committed to lead and initiate activities in relation to EIP actions and to develop these into proposals. LTU will also be an active research and education partner in projects. LTU provides the consortium with skills in R&D related to exploration, mining, processing and metallurgy.

Other partners

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.

Name of the organisation: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V. Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Fraunhofer will lead the CFRP and GFRP recycling research.
Fraunhofer will perform corrosion tests on the developed materials.
Fraunhofer will work with CIDAUT on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project. Fraunhofer is the Quality Manager of the Consortium and will oversee deliverables and general reporting are produced with the best possible quality following agreed review standards.

Fundacion Cidaut

Name of the organisation: Fundacion Cidaut Country: Spain Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: CIDAUT will lead the research activities on materials recycling and compounding, implementing lab scale demonstrators of each process at its premises and, later, supporting end-users upscale the processes.
CIDAUT will perform mechanical tests, microstructural analyses, injection moulding capability studies on the developed materails, and will work with Fraunhofer on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project.

RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV)

Name of the organisation: RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV) Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: RWTH will implement the novel 3D Generative Preforming process (3D Fibre Spraying) that enables to create high-value long fibre-reinforced 3D preforms for thermoplastic and thermoset composites at low process costs (different kinds of yarn as a raw material, low tooling costs due to low cavity pressures). This cost effective technology allows to align the sprayed fibres in order to produce high-performance, engineered anisotropic products.

Universita' di Cagliari

Name of the organisation: Universita' di Cagliari Country: Italy Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: University of Cagliari is one of the leading European organization in the resin design and coupling with thermoplastic and thermose materials. University of Cagliari will support in the definition of the composite materials, both from CFRP/GFRP, ABS and Rare Earth composite material.

Relight

Name of the organisation: Relight Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: RELIGHT will work with ITRB to provide the research partners with residues for the recycled ABS supply and the REE recovery processes, including their HydroWEEE process as part of the processes to be studied and analyzed.

Piaggio Aerospace

Name of the organisation: Piaggio Aerospace Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - large company
Role within the commitment: Piaggio Aerospace is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Piaggio will assist in the compounds selection, provide Fraunhofer with specific corrosion requirements on business jet size aircraft, and will assess that the developed materials performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.

Blackshape Aircrafts

Name of the organisation: Blackshape Aircrafts Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: Blackshape Aircrafts is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Blackshape will support to fulfill the requirements of the aeronautics industry on ultra light jet, light jet and trainer for Syllabus, and will assess that the developed alloys performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.

KU Leuven

Name of the organisation: KU Leuven Country: Belgium Entity profile: Academia
Role within the commitment: KUL will collaborate on the balance problem studies and will lead the rare earth recovery research with the solvometallurgical and ionometallurgical processes.
KUL will also contribute to the final compounding selection.
KUL is the Dissemination Manager of the project, promoting that all partners are active on the project Dissemination.

FIDAMC

Name of the organisation: FIDAMC Country: Spain Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: FIDAMC is going to lead the Work Package on Compression Moulding with CFRP-enhanced materials. As part of the AIRBUS Group, FIDAMC will also be able to provide the input material.
FIDAMC successfully developed a 3D Printer of own design to serve the Aerospace Industry and will be supporting Smart Lab 3D Industries in its 3D printer design.

COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER

Name of the organisation: COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER Country: Canada Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Composite Innovation Center is one of the world leading organization in the field of Composite materials, both from carbon fiber and vegetal-based fibers.
Composite Innovation center has successfully implemented, at lab-scale, recycling processes for CFRP and GFRP.

Existing EU Contribution: Yes

Period to implement the commitment: from 01-01-2014 to 31-12-2020