Main Objective

The initiative aimed to reduce fragmentation in raw materials R&I funding by launching joint transnational calls—one EU cofunded in 2017 and additional ones in 2018 and 2019—covering the full value chain from exploration and mining to processing, recycling, and substitution of critical raw materials. This fostered pan-European and global cooperation while aligning with the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials.

Strategic Objectives

• Promote R&I cooperation and synergies between regional, national, and EU-level funding.
• Provide a support network with financial resources to enhance coordination and collaboration.
• Improve efficiency of investments in raw materials R&I, emphasizing sustainable supply, circular approaches, and demand-driven innovation.

Key Deliverables and Outcomes

Deliverables included lists of funded projects from the three calls (e.g., bio-hydrometallurgy for e-waste, mine tailings valorization), a Strategic Research Agenda, and liaison activities with industry and other initiatives to avoid duplication. It supported projects advancing exploration, mining closure, product design for recycling/substitution, and secondary resource recovery.