The CRM Act, together with other EU policies towards the green and digital objetives of the CE, and the EU current context pose some challenges and needs to the extractive and processing industries: improve and facilitate access to raw materials and reduce EU dependency; increase circularity, ensure recycling into secondary raw materials and recovery from extractive waste; ann also, the mining and processing industry must be sustainable, thus competitive, socially responsible and efficient in terms of cost, reducing energy consumption and gas emissions. BLOOM aims to develop and demonstrate extraction and processing technologies to facilitate exploitation of the primary raw critical raw materials. For this, th ecollaboration with both Ukraine and Canada is envisioned 2 and 3 partners from these countries respectively); clustering activities are envisioned through key partners and a a business case and exploitation strategy. BLOOM will tackle the challenges through its Strategic Objective which is to facilitate exploitation of the primary CRM (minerals and metals only) for the EU to strengthen the EU supply chains, by increasing the efficiency on extraction and processing with a smart and modular solids analysis system consisting on an online mineral liberation analysis, which enables the integration on mining sites of advanced control loops in different stages of the processing, based on ML and AI techniques, or data-driven extraction operations based on accurate mineralogy information from the site. These actions are oriented to lowering the costs of extraction and processing, increasing the financial viability, thus also contributing to making profitable low-grade deposits, giving access to new supplies. BLOOM consortium is composed of a multidisciplinary group of 15 partners, from 4 European countries, 2 from Ukraine, 3 from Canada and 1 from Brazil, one of the resource-richer countries in the world and lead by UPC.

In order to secure the sustainable access to primary and secondary raw materials and particularly Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) in the EU, there is a need for an expert advice to better understand the value chains of the raw materials screened in the CRMs assessment. Making this information freely available, through the SCRREEN knowledge database and the EC Raw Materials Information System, will support decision-making at the EU level on the CRM strategies. In the continuation of SCRREEN, SCRREEN2 will develop and strengthen the SCRREEN expert network in order to cover all raw materials screened in the CRM 2020 assessment. The work was initiated in 2019 to support the EC (validation workshop and creation of an expert database). The SCRREEN network gathers today expertise on primary and secondary resources; production, including exploration, mining, processing, recycling and refining; substitution of CRM; raw materials markets; future demand and supply; materials flows; socio-economic analysis. It covers also strategic value chains and end-use sectors, including batteries, e-mobility, renewable energy, electronics, defence and aerospace. Thanks to clustering and cooperation with other projects/initiatives, SCRREEN2 will develop this network to fill the existing gaps and to mobilize it on two axes through dedicated workshops. First, in order to improve data and knowledge on all screened raw materials, SCRREEN2 will update on a regular basis the raw materials factsheets. It will also publish sector-oriented outlook reports analysing the future supply and demand of raw materials, policy and technology gaps and innovation potential along the raw materials value chains. A work-plan, updated every 6 months, will allow SCRREEN2 to flexibly support the Commission in policy-making related to CRM in general or linked to specific applications or sectors; and to support as well the Commission in the organisation of relevant events.

RAWCLIC’s main goal is to develop knowledge on the future raw materials (RMs) demand, supply and associated environmental impacts induced by the twin transition in the EU, and to support fact-based industry- and policy- decision-making enabling this transition. RAWCLIC revolutionizes the development and analysis of likely future scenarios of RMs demand and supply, considering challenges and opportunities as to material substitution, future RMs potential (geological and urban mine) deposits, processing technologies, circular use of materials, geopolitical shifts, and induced environmental impacts. It enables to identify the i) challenges, and associated risks to supply, ii) opportunities, and iii) potential mitigation measures, at technology, sectoral and EU-levels. It improves and expands existing models, and develops new ones, to assess and analyse the future demand (WP2), supply from secondary (WP3) and primary (WP4) sources, and environmental effects (including climate change, waste generation, land and water use, and biodiversity impacts; WP5). The models are applied to a selection of 20 RMs justified in the context of the twin transition, while ensuring replicability for future modelling exercises. Modelling activities are harmonized (WP1), and integrated into pathways and strategies facilitating the twin transition while accounting for crucial risks regarding RMs bottlenecks (WP6). RAWCLIC ultimately develops a coherent roadmap for global decision makers working in research, policy, and industry to achieve the twin transition. Industry stakeholders from across the value chain of the focus RMs are in regular dialogue with the project, in a mutually-beneficial collaboration (WP7). This includes engagement with downstream industries in energy and digital technologies to support their resilience, and with upstream mining and refining stakeholders to support their decarbonisation objectives.

CIRAN will develop, test and validate processes to arrive at systemic policy-making, balancing environmental protection and societal needs for accessing critical raw materials (CRMs). This will be achieved through: 1) streamlined permitting procedures in environmentally protected areas; 2) modern policies and social contract frameworks that reconcile the protection of environmentally sensitive areas and domestic sourcing of CRMs in the EU; and 3) the development of a community of practice to support the uptake of the CIRAN recommendation and that will remain active after the project funding period. CIRAN proposes a logical framework that justifies extraction on the basis of a system-oriented assessment and the co-creation of knowledge (i.e. tested and validated by communities located in or nearby environmentally protected areas). It will create novel social contract models identifying rights, obligations and responsibilities of governments (national/regional), communities and mine operators, capable of dealing with transformations and challenges due to climate change. As a distinctive feature, CIRAN brings together 25 external experts on the environmental, political, social, economic, and technological factors that will shape the energy transition responses and the demand for CRMs. These experts, organised in four Expert Groups (EGs), will work with the Consortium, conveying insights on policy-making and -implementation, economic drivers, technologies, mining, local governance, social capital, nature conservation and biodiversity. The EGs will actively engage in CIRAN through synergetic processes combining analysis and deliberation, and participation in project workshops and structured consultations (e.g., focus groups, foresight analysis). The Consortium is geared to develop inclusive policy-making instruments that support the EU Green Deal and UN-led reforms to reach the climate commitments and sustainable development goals.

Geothermal fluids often carry high amounts of elements that the EU considers as 'critical' raw materials (CRM). Preliminary calculations show that even a single well has the potential to produce single-digit percentages of the EU needs. Combined extraction of heat and minerals maximises returns on investment, minimises environmental impact, requires no additional land use, leaves no mining legacies, has near-zero carbon footprint, and enables domestic supplies of CRM. To assess overall supply potential, CRM-geothermal will enlarge an existing geothermal fluid atlas by collecting new data and sampling wells for their CRM content in Europe and East Africa. The potential of different geological settings for combined extraction will be evaluated. Extraction/separation techniques exist, but need to be adapted to the harsh conditions of such systems (high temperature, pressure and salinities). Combinations of materials and flow-schemes will be assessed at lab-scale to optimise systems for different geothermal settings and CRM. A modular, mobile plant will be developed and deployed at existing geothermal sites to conduct pilot studies, investigating upscaling and system integration. The technological developments will be accompanied by assessments of environmental and social impacts to ensure good governance. An UNFC/UNRMS compliant reporting template will be developed to create trust among investors, regulators and the public. The project will advance key reference points for stakeholder engagement, in order to obtain and maintain a 'social license to operate'. Combined extraction creates new business opportunities for both SMEs and larger companies, and its economics under likely future market developments will be investigated with a view to proposing suitable business models. CRM-geothermal will open up a potentially huge untapped resource and deploy solutions to help Europe fulfil the strategic objectives of the EU Green Deal and the Agenda for Sustainable Development.