- Mastermine EU advocates for a green and sustainable mining industry, merging digitalisation with environmental practices.
- The LINKS Foundation will develop a novel digital passport for raw materials, utilizing IOTA’s Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).
The global landscape of mining is undergoing significant transformations, with Europe leading some of the most innovative advancements in this sector. As reported by The Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS), the EU-funded MASTERMINE project is spearheading the digital revolution in mines. Central to this change is the fusion of culture, strategy, and tactics, all aimed at cultivating a multi-level structural change.
The project’s ambition is twofold: advancing digital transformation within mines and bridging the gap between the mining sector and its surrounding ecosystem. Adding weight to this innovation, LINKS Foundation recently tweeted,
LINKS is proud to participate to @MastermineEU project, that is changing the landscape of EU mining.
Our Cybersecurity research group will design and develop of a novel passport for raw materials, based on IOTA DLT.
Please visit:
https://t.co/xAkFpxTl98— LINKS Foundation (@LinksFoundation) September 28, 2023
MASTERMINE aims to showcase its relevance in the real world through four EU demo cases and a replication demonstration in South Africa. Mining partners associated with the initiative grant access to a comprehensive network of ten mines spread across Europe. These mines produce a variety of ten distinct raw materials, and amongst them, four are Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) which include Cobalt, Coking Coal, Phosphate Rock, and Platinum.
Featured Mine Cases
Several mining companies across Europe are participating in this initiative, representing the diverse scope of the project:
- TERNA MAG: Part of GEK TERNA GROUP, this company focuses on magnesite extraction in the northern regions of Evia Island. Their key products are magnesite and magnesia.
- TAPOJÄRVI: A key player in Finland, TAPOJÄRVI operates the Outokumpu Chrome Kemi and Yara Siilinjärvi mines, and they are responsible for managing multiple underground and open pit mines across Finland and Sweden.
- Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa S.A. (JSW) Mines: Located in Poland, their primary activity revolves around mining hard coal, especially coking coal.
- THARSIS Mines: A unique Spanish mining company with 100% Andalusian capital, they are dedicated to the metallic mining sector in the Iberian Pyrite Belt.
Areas of Advancement
As the mining industry dives deeper into the digital age, several key areas are targeted for improvement:
- Enhancement in productivity.
- Progressive energy conservation.
- Precise raw material recovery.
- Safety and early warning systems for operations.
- Cost-effectiveness.
- Enhancing social acceptability and reducing environmental footprints.
The Mastermine EU initiative, with its partnerships and aims, is setting the stage for a sustainable, efficient, and digitally advanced future in the mining industry.
