Jan 17, 2023

ERA MIN – Call on raw materials science!

Das Foto zeigt eine Dünenlandschaft. In deren Mitte befindet sich ein Badesee.

ERA-MIN3 is a global, innovative and flexible pan-European network of 24 European/non-European research funding organisations, aiming to continue strengthening the mineral raw materials community through the coordination of research and innovation programmes on non-fuel and non-food raw materials (metallic, construction and industrial minerals).

The scope of the 2023 Call is needs-driven research addressing non-fuel, non-food raw materials: metallic minerals; construction materials; industrial minerals.

The five main call topics that have been defined with the research community and the support of EIT Raw Materials, are:

Topic 1. Supply of raw materials from exploration and mining

1.1 Innovative exploration methods
1.2 More sustainable mining operations
1.3 Improved environmental management of mines
1.4 Efficient mineral processing and metallurgy
1.5 Mine closure, remediation and remining of tailings and waste rock

Topic 2. Strengthening the Circular Economy

2.1 Product design for resource efficiency, including substitution
2.2 End-of-life products pre-processing: collection, logistics, pre-treatment, dismantling, sorting, characterisation
2.3 Reuse, repair, refurbishing, repurposing and remanufacturing of end-of-life products
2.4 Recovery and urban mining of raw materials from end-of-life products or other wastes,
2.5 Life-cycle-analysis of raw materials
2.6 New business models (implementing circular economy aspects)

Topic 3. Processing, Production and ICT

3.1 Increase resource efficiency in resource intensive production processes
3.2 Increase resource efficiency, recycling and reuse of products using information and communication technologies

Topic 4. Environmental assessment, climate and policy development for sustainability

4.1 Improvement of methods or data for environmental, social and health impact assessment (ESHIA)
4.2 Policy development for primary and secondary raw material industry
4.3 Energy-saving and climate action

Topic 5. Social sustainability in health, safety and public perception-cutting topics.

5.1 Social acceptance and trust/public perception of the raw materials industry
5.2 Health and safety issues

Proposals may address more than one topic and more than one of the sub-topics, subject to national/regional regulations.

Timeline and eligibility criteria:

30.03.2023 – full-proposal submission
consortium: min three partners
between 12 and 36 months project duration
TRL 1 – 9 (depending on national regulation)
20 % overhead

Participating countries:

Belgium-Flanders, Belgium-Wallonia, Bulgaria, Canada-Québec, Czech Republic, Estonia, France-Novelle Aquitaine, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey