Details

Objectives

Non-energy and non-agricultural raw materials are vital for the EU’s economy and for the development of environmentally friendly technologies.

European industries in the automotive, aviation, wind power, photovoltaic and lighting industries, as well as in the high-tech sector as whole, used tons of raw materials each day for their products. However, since its domestic production is limited to 3% of the world production, the EU is highly dependent on the import of many metals used.

The EU faces a number of critical issues that can endanger the security of supply of the highly diversified mineral resources needed by its economy. Securing supplies has therefore become crucial. This requires advanced research on the entire value chain of raw-materials, from ore extraction to mineral processing, and from product design to reuse and recycling.

About ERA-MIN

ERA-MIN is an ERA-NET program on the Industrial Handling of Raw Materials for European industries and is supported by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme . It is aimed at setting up networks and mechanisms to foster research in the field of industrial production and supply of raw materials, in line with the “EU Raw Materials Initiative”.

Topics

ERA-MIN focuses on the issues related to the three segments of the non-energy mineral resources: construction minerals, industrial minerals and metallic minerals. The topics addressed by ERA-MIN cover the entire raw materials value chain: from primary to secondary resources, substitution of scarce elements, as well as cross-cutting issues like the mitigation of environmental impacts and raising public awareness.

ERA-MIN aims at overcoming the current state of fragmentation of research in the field of raw material supply and production by developing convergence and synergies at EU level between national research programs, industry, and with research programs led by the European Commission.

Tasks and objective

The main objective of ERA-MIN is to foster coordinated research on the entire raw materials value chain. To achieve these objectives, ERA-MIN is conducting three main tasks:

  • Mapping and networking the European non-energy mineral raw materials research community

  • Roadmapping research priorities

  • Implementing joint actions and, especially, a joint call