Objectives of the commitment
The main objective of this RMC is to ensure the smooth application of two key EU policies (mining and environmental) for the implementation of non‐energy mineral extraction activities in Natura 2000 protected sites.
The specific objectives are:
- To harmonize the EU permitting procedure for the exploitation of non-energy minerals in Natura 2000 sites
- To ensure the public acceptance of sustainable mining activities in the Natura 2000 protected sites.
The operative objectives are:
- To develop an standarization protocol in the permitting procedure for the exploitation of non-energy minerals, harmonizing technical requirements and timelines in all the EU Member States.
- To demonstrate in practice the sustainability of specific installations through the implementation of a demo sites in Europe.
- To further disseminate the results in a coordinated way among all the EU stakeholders.
Description of the activities
ACTION 1: Creation of the final Working Group
The initial task will consist in the formal creation of a Working Group based on the members of the SUMAN 2000 RMC. The network will include in the initial stage new partners in order to better cover the European diversity and the points of view of the different EU stakeholders.
The network will need to cover at least the following profiles:
- Non-energy mineral extractive industry
- RTD Centres
- Academia
- Regional and local communities
- NGOs
- Member States
The RMC confirmed members will ensure the complementarity of the profiles in order to avoid duplicities.
ACTION 2: ANALYSIS OF THE STATE-OF-THE-ART
Second action will perform the following tasks:
- Analysis of the different methodologies followed at national and regional level for the permits approval for exploration, research and exploitation of mineral resources in areas affected by the Natura 2000 sites
- Compilation of the la Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of mining exploitation projects affected by the Natura 2000 sites and study of the common technical aspects.
- Compilation of the jurisprudence (final court sentences) related with the use of mineral resources and the interpretation of the Habitats and Birds Directives (Directive 92/43/CEE - Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) - Directive 2009/147/CE - Special Protection Areas (SPAs)) and study of the common legal aspects.
ACTION 3: DEFINITION OF THE PERMITTING PROCEDURE PROTOCOL
Third action will perform the following tasks:
- Development of common supporting document of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) that harmonise the technical assessment criteria, providing an effective tool for the evaluation of the projects to the Competent Authorities.
- Development of a coherent protocol of standardization in the permitting procedure to obtain the necessary licences for the exploitation of non-energy minerals, inside Natura 2000 sites.
Main objectives of the protocol will be:
- To establish common technical requirements to be applied by each administration in the permitting procedure
- To set maximum deadlines and stricter schedules in each part of the process and in the global procedure
- To reinforce the actions of citizens participation and involvement to ensure the acceptability of the decisions taken.
ACTION 4: DEMONSTRATION SITES IN NATURA 2000 AREAS
The Working Group will implement the protocol previously defined in exploitations in several Natura 2000 protected sites. This implementation will consist on the full demonstration of at least one specific installations. The objective of these demo sites will be:
- To evaluate the protocol established.
- To demonstrate the factual sustainability of the solutions adopted.
- To generate a coherent portfolio of practical experiences to be disseminated
ACTION 5: FINAL DISSEMINATION PLAN
Finally, the Group will develop a coordinated action of dissemination of the results and the advantages of the experience implemented.
This dissemination will take into account the main stakeholders in the process and will establish:
- Target Groups.
- Key messages to communicate to each group
- Channels of Communication to better reach each group
- Plan of specific communication actions
The dissemination will include actions on each Member State, around 2-days events. One full day will be devoted for the Public Administrations’ technicians and mining sector companies; and another full day for the general public.
There will be a special leaflet for its distribution in the events and to be distributed among other interested stakeholders (Universities, vocational training centres, associations…) in supporting the sustainability of mining activities.
Description of the expected impacts
The Working Group will demonstrate how the potential impacts of extraction activities on nature and biodiversity can be minimised or avoided altogether.
Main specific results will be:
- To develop a common European protocol of standardization in the permitting procedure to obtain the necessary licences for the exploitation of non-energy minerals
- To generate many examples of best practice, and show how some extraction projects can ultimately be beneficial to biodiversity by providing highly quality ecological niches
- To show how the needs of extractive industry can be met while avoiding adverse effects on wildlife and nature.
Coordinating organisation & role
Name of the coordinating organisation: MAGNESITAS NAVARRAS, S.A.Country: SpainEntity profile: Private sector - large companyRole within the commitment:
MAGNESITAS NAVARRAS is a manufacturer of raw material (Sintered Magnesite) and of final products (refractory mass) for use at the siderurgy industry. It is also one of the principal producers of Calcined Magnesite for use in fertilizers and animal nutrition, and has an increasing presence in the environmental sector. The company has 60% of its invoicing to the external markets. RMC: development of mining exploitation in a Natura 2000 area.
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: No
Period to implement the commitment: from 01-07-2014 to 31-12-2016