Project partners

PROJECT PARTNERS

The CSIR is a statutory body, established by the South African government through Act 71 of 1990. It undertakes a wide range of research including mining, within its Natural Resources and the Environment unit. Expertise in mining includes geology, geophysics and mineral economics, and broader expertise in CSIR includes assessment of technology and research management.

Role in INTRAW: CSIR expertise lies within the context of the target country South Africa, where CSIR is well positioned to provide all the required information for the contextual and transactional analyses and support to the deployment of the EU International Observatory of Raw Materials.

Contact Person: Fatheela Brovko

Website

The University of Exeter is one of the UKs leading universities, a member of the UK’s Russell Group and ranked in the top 150 universities worldwide (Times Higher Education). It has 18 000 students, and 1800 staff. The Camborne School of Mines (CSM), now a department within the University, has 125 years of experience of research and teaching related to the extractive industries worldwide, with projects across the full mining spectrum from fundamental geology and exploration, through mining and processing to environmental and socioeconomic issues. It has close links to the international mining industry including supported academic staff and extensive research collaboration. The education portfolio includes mining, geology and environmental courses at undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research level and probably one of the most international outlooks of any multidisciplinary mining school with a long history of graduates working across the extractive industries worldwide and students from a wide range of home countries including sub-saharan Africa, central Asia and Europe.

Role in INTRAW: Exeter University leading role providing education in the mining field, covering the entire raw materials cycle, is most relevant to the scope of INTRAW. Exeter University will bridge drivers in research and innovation with education and outreach outcomes, having in consideration industry needs, educational provision, national policy initiatives, partnership approaches and cost effective solutions to skills in a global context where sustainability and business performance must be balanced.

Contact Person: Kip Jeffrey

Website

Fraunhofer IAO (the Fraunhofer-Institute for Industrial Engineering) is one of 56 institutes comprising the Fraunhofer Society – a major European research organisation, represented on other continents too. Along with research activities in numerous EU projects, FHG IAO also provides consultancy services industrial companies of a range of sizes, from different branches, supporting them with know-how in analyzing and redesigning business processes and in the introduction and application of strategic information technologies and management methodologies. One of the focus areas is the improvement of construction processes and the management of technologies and R&D in the construction industry. This includes advances in manufacturing and off- and on-site assembly of industrially pre-fabricated modules and components. Within this context, the IAO is involved in more than 400 international and local research and consultancy projects per annum. Fraunhofer IAO has leading expertise in numerous fields, including industrial engineering, information and communication technology, product development and innovation and industrial R&D- and technology management, business model and manufacturing planning – to mention just few of them which are most relevant to the scope of this project.

Role in INTRAW: The Fraunhofer IAO brings into the INTRAW project its competence in technology and material evaluation; significant experience in assessment, classification and evaluation of materials and technologies; and other assets critical to companies, industries or economies.

Contact Person: Sven Schimpf 

Website

The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Foundation for Science and Technology) is the Portuguese national research funding agency for science, research and technology in all scientific domains, responsible for following and implementing bilateral and multilateral international science and technology cooperation agreements. FCT is a public autonomous institute under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Science. FCT´s mission is the continuous promotion of the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge in Portugal, exploring opportunities that become available in any scientific or technological domain to attain the highest international standards in the creation of knowledge, and to stimulate their diffusion and contribution to improve education, health, environment, and the quality of life and well-being of the general public. Funding is structured around the following schemes:

1. i) promotion of training and career development (fellowships, scholarships, mainly for PhD, Post-doc and PhD in industry); ii) support of centres of excellence (associated laboratories) and research centres (institutional funding); iii) support to infrastructures, promotion and development of scientific activities (collaborative research projects); and v) diffusion of scientific culture. FCT also provides the institutional framework for the Research Councils.

Role in INTRAW: FCT brings to INTRAW its wide experience in international (global) cooperation related with research and innovation, as well as the experience in research activities assessment, classification and evaluation. FCT also brings its competence in the promotion and development of scientific activities and in the support to research infrastructures. FCT experience as WP leader for dissemination and international cooperation with countries outside EU in several thematic ERA-NETs (including ERA-MIN, the non-energy raw materials ERA-NET) will provide support to INTRAW as well as in setting international cooperation agreements useful for the launch of EU’s International Observatory for Raw Materials.

Contact Person: Dina Carrilho

Website

ASSIMAGRA – Portuguese Association of Mineral Resources is a not-for profit industry association, founded in 1964, which has limited its activity in close harmony with its mission to “promote and strengthen permanent Portuguese mineral resources, with a view to expanding its economic, social and cultural recognition, founded on principles and values that always promote its sustainability and balance in the environment in which it acts.” The strategy implemented by ASSIMAGRA is based on the quest for sustainability and transformation of the mining industry in Portugal.

Role in INTRAW: ASSIMAGRA brings to INTRAW its knowledge of the constraints faced by the mining sector in Europe, as well its expertise in international trade and in providing support to the minerals sector in technology transfer and demonstration activities. ASSIMAGRA’s experience in providing technical training to the mining sector, and its related facilities, will also be valuable to INTRAW.

Contact Person: Daniel Rebelo

Website

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent not-for-profit organisation. Our Fellowship, more than 800 outstanding scientists, technologists and engineers, drives our mission: to foster excellence in technological sciences and engineering to enhance Australia’s competitiveness, economic and social wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The Academy provides robust, independent, science and technology evidence based policy advice to government, industry and the community.

Role in INTRAW: ATSE will bring to INTRAW information about activities, policies, and standards in Australia relative to minerals development, including technical and human capital parameters. ATSE will also share its experience in bridging research & innovation to industrial applications: The ongoing experience of ATSE in CAESIE, a multilateral (Europe-Australia) project will contribute to highlight the best approaches to the deployment, organization and operation of the EU Observatory for Raw Materials.

Contact Person: Matt Wenham

Website

Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS) is a public research institute established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in 1998 with its origins in the Geological Survey of Republic of Slovenia that was founded in 1946. The Survey has 88 staff members of which 66 % are researchers. It has well balanced engagement in research (50%), public service (25%) and market (25%) activities.

Role in INTRAW: With its large international network within the geological and public sector domain the Geological Survey of Slovenia will help in bringing together the key experts, initiatives and ideas, with the focus on RTD domain. Geological survey of Slovenia will also map and exploit the relevant results from the previous minerals-related international projects.

Contact Person: Gorazd Žibret

Website

The La Palma Research Centre S.L. is an independent, internationally active geoscience think-tank headquartered in Spain. LPRC works in the intersection of minerals, ICT and public awareness raising related to geosciences. With the help of technology foresights the Centre assesses the long-term future of converging technologies with the aim to identify the emerging innovations that are likely to produce the greatest economic and social benefits.

Role in INTRAW: LPRC will be in charge for developing and deploying a methodology for the context-analysis of the target countries, including the coordination of an extensive bibliography analysis covering socio-political constraints, historical evolution, laws, codes and standards, linked with the analyses of existing indexes. LPRC will develop integrated cooperation schemes for education, research and industry involvement along the raw materials value chain also reacting to emerging issues as they may be identified during the implementation of WP2.1-WP2.5. During its contribution to other WPs LPRC will deploy a combination of foresight methods for strategic analysis.

Contact Person: Balazs Sandor Bodo

Website

The University of Miskolc has eight faculties, over 14 thousand students and two thousand full time academic staff. The Faculty of Earth Science & Engineering has more than 260 years of teaching and research experience in relation to geology, mining and mineral processing. It is the only faculty in Hungary teaching courses related to these special fields. The teaching and research at the Faculty are supported by modern, high-quality laboratories in a wide range of earth sciences. The Faculty has wide international cooperation and strong industrial partnerships. International teaching and research programmes are carried out in a wide range of fields of earth sciences.

Role in INTRAW: The University of Miskolc brings into the INTRAW its competence in education and outreach in the mining sector, and its know-how in ore processing technologies.

Contact Person: Éva Hartai

Website

Voluntary organisation composed of individual professional geologists and engineers nominated by its parent organisations: the European Federation of Geologists (Belgium), the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining (UK), the Geological Society of London (UK), and the Institute of Geologists of Ireland (Republic of Ireland). Includes also co-opted members with similar professional backgrounds, representing different industry, academic, and government sectors relevant to the mining industry. The primary purpose of PERC is the establishment, maintenance, and promotion of standards for public reporting of mineral resources and reserves. Promotional activities include communication through presentation of papers at conferences and in journals; and training and awareness raising activities for mining companies, professional geoscientists and engineers and for market regulators. PERC is the National Reporting Organisation for Europe within the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO www.crirsco.com). Within CRIRSCO, PERC has taken the lead on mapping the CRIRSCO template to the Russian system for solid mineral reserves and resources reporting (still in common use in Member States in the east of Europe) and authoring a conversion guide. PERC members, with others from CRIRSCO, also have significant experience working with UNECE on the development and benchmarking of the UN Framework Classification for solid minerals and have been responsible for ensuring that the CRIRSCO definitions relating to solid minerals with reasonable prospects of economic recovery (required by stock market regulators) are aligned with the equivalent categories within the UNFC (which also includes prospective deposits).

Role in INTRAW: PERC will be responsible for promoting professional standards in the collection of data, development of databases, and publication of data and statistical summaries, and will also provide advice and guidance on reporting and regulatory standards required by international stock exchanges for the public disclosure of exploration results, resources and reserves of solid minerals (the CRIRSCO family of codes and standards). Given its experience with the Russian reporting standards (in use by governments in several EU Member States for mineral inventory at local, regional and national level) as well as UNFC and the stock markets, PERC is well placed to provide information and guidance to the project as to appropriate models for all kinds of public and governmental reporting of solid mineral reserves and resources and to assist in the development of consistent data gathering, as well as benchmarking and mapping between systems in use in EU and non-EU states.

Contact person: Ruth Allington

Website

MinPol is an internationally operating network consisting of experts for every related branch in the field of minerals policy. The MinPol-team has longstanding experience in the field of international minerals policy and delivers scientific expertise at national and international level. The MinPol-team consists of experts for every topic relevant to minerals policy. Together we they develop scientific reports, recommendations, position papers or even entire projects (from the analysis of available resources to consumption scenarios in the future). This allows them to provide maximum support to our clients in terms of international minerals policy, mining and environmental engineering, geology and IT.

Role in INTRAW: MinPol will bring to INTRAW its experience in evaluating mineral policies and its consequences at an international level. MinPol by using its contacts within and outside Europe will provide an important range of different perspectives, which will be used for cross-reference with the information collected throughout the development of INTRAW. The MinPol network will also be important to flag cooperation opportunities, thus enhancing the set-up of the EU International Observatory for Raw Materials.

Contact person: Günter Tiess

Website

Recifemetal is a private SME belonging to the holding of environmental enterprises Ambigroup SGPS, S.A, with operations in Portugal and Spain. The company is specialized in metallic waste treatment, having a turnover over €27 M and 55 employees. Recifemetal covers the dismantling and waste management activities. These two activities involve the sorting of materials on site, and transportation and processing at its recycling industry unit. In the lines of business recycling, the metals are separated and subjected to different recovery processes according to their type:

• Sorting, compaction and cutting of ferrous metals;
• Grinding and separation of non-ferrous metals;
• Grinding, separation and compacting of aluminum;
• Grinding of cables and separation of the materials.

Role in INTRAW: Recifemetal will share its operational experience and knowledge regarding the recycling activities of metals and metallic alloys. INTRAW will benefit from Recifemetal’s experience in the evaluation of restraints in the recycling activities and the existing needs. The combination of research and SME among the partners of INTRAW, and the resemblance of the processes for mineral recovery in mining (production of ore concentrates) and those used in recycling will foster new ideas and will highlight cooperation opportunities between academia and industry.

Contact person: Ricardo Diogo

Website

RCI is a private SME undertaking consultancy, research and development, in the field of mineral resources exploration and estimation. This company has traded for over 20 years, and its clients have included other consulting groups as well as large and small mining companies, for whom it has carried out ‘due diligence’ projects as well as participating in ‘competent person’ projects in preparation to the clients’ stock exchange listings. RCI has also acted as independent geological adviser to the board of a large Russian gold producing company. Other work has included the development and management of web sites for a range of different clients, including The Mining Journal, professional organisations, and educational charities. RCI operates through its own principals as well as sub-contracting to associate consultants on a project-by-project basis.

Role in INTRAW: RCI will provide its experience in database design and management, setting up the intelligence repository, and in data, website and social network management, and more generally in advising on the recording, organisation, and classification of data.

Contact person: Stephen Henley

Website

The American Geosciences Institute is a U.S.-based non-profit organization which is a federation of 50 geoscience societies representing over 250,000 geoscientists in the U.S. AGI’s main roles are in strengthening the geosciences through fostering cooperation between universities, industry, government, and its member societies in support of K-12 education, national and international policy issues, pan-geoscience research support references such as GeoRef, and a long history of measuring and supporting the development of human resources in all geosciences enterprises. AGI has a long history of fostering communication between industry, academia, and government on geosciences issues. In addition, AGI’s Geoscience Policy program is actively engaged in all aspects of the interface of government and the geosciences, while the Workforce Program has an active data collection and research program on human capital dynamics globally in the geosciences. At the institutional level, AGI has played a key role in geosciences international organizations, both as a member of the US Commission to UNESCO, active leadership roles in IUGS, and partnerships with numerous national geological surveys in regards to geosciences information sharing.

Role in INTRAW: AGI will provide information about activities, policies, and standard in the United States relative to minerals development, including technical and human capital parameters. AGI experience and global coverage, both in geographic terms and geosciences topics, ensures an excellent coverage of the issues addressed by INTRAW, from research and innovation to developing skills and industry and trade. AGI will also provide a valuable contribution on the identification of research and innovation cooperation opportunities and in the set up of bilateral agreements in all levels.

Contact person: Christopher Keane

Website

National Association members of EFG

Belgo-Luxembourg Union of Geologists, Belgium/Luxemburg

Croatian Geological Society, Croatia

Czech Association of Geologists, Czech Republic

Finnish Union of Environmental Professionals, Finland

French Geological Society, France

Professional Association of German Geoscientists, Germany

Association of Greek Geologists, Greece

Hungarian Geological Society, Hungary

Institute of Geologists of Ireland, Ireland

Italian National Council of Geologists, Italy

Royal Geological and Mining Society of the Netherlands, the Netherlands

Polish Association of Minerals Asset Valuators Country, Poland

Association of Portuguese Geologists, Portugal

Serbian Geological Society, Serbia

Slovenian Geological Society, Slovenia

Official Spanish Association of Professional Geologists, Spain

Geological Section of the Swedish Association of Scientists, Sweden

Swiss Association of Geologists, Switzerland

Ukrainian Association of Geologists (UAG), Ukraine

Geological Society of London, United Kingdom

EFG International Counterparts

American Institute of Professional Geologists, USA

Australian Institute of Geoscientists, Australia

Geological Society of South Africa, South Africa

Geoscientists Canada, Canada