INCO-Piles 2020 - International Consortium to Recover Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) from stockpiles/Tailings targeting RIS

Mining of stones and metals has been a human activity since pre-historic times. Mining activity has been present everywhere in Europe, although nowadays majority of mining sites have been closed. This does not mean that the resources have been completed depleted. Ancient mining could not benefit of the most modern extraction and processing techniques and has left significant amounts of residuals currently present in the territory in forms of semi-artificial hills, lakes and ponds. Some of them are completely stable and never reacted with the environment, while some others (especially those coming from metal mining) had significantly modified the environment where they have been stocked. Today, in Europe the resources of metals have been reduced, while the use has increased. The consequence of this is an increase of imports, to provide raw materials to high technology industries. Moreover, many materials had grown their importance due to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and battery needs. The Project INCO-Piles aims to understand the value of some particular types of metal stockpiles and tailings in Balkans and Mediterranean Countries. It is a Cooperation Project, with partners belonging to Universities, Research Centres and Industries and the involvement of international experts from active mining countries. The Consortium will analyse the most updated and innovative techniques, methods and processes to recover raw materials, critical for European industries, from stockpiles and tailings. A specific case study will be selected, where to perform preliminary analysis for understanding the economic value of a possible re-mining in the future. Especially for the case study, environmental aspects will be addressed as well, with the intention to gain critical raw materials and, at the same time, to improve the environmental quality of the ancient mining area. The project lasts two years and will be comprised by 4 general assemblies and 2 round tables, where experts (both European and International) will have the possibility to meet and exchange their knowledge.