Revolutionizing Raw Materials Extraction: The RAWMINA Project

As part of the EU-funded RAWMINA project, Spanish mining company Cobre Las Cruces (CLC) is set to test new technologies that aim to extract cobalt, tungsten, gold, and silver from mine waste. These cutting-edge extraction methods will provide vital raw materials that are essential for the energy transition; both for the development of renewable energies and new energy storage systems such as electric vehicle batteries.

One of these methods is bioleaching: a hydrometallurgical process using microorganisms to extract metals from rocks. This approach offers several benefits over conventional metallurgical processes, including lower energy and chemical consumption, reduced CO2 footprint, and lower capital and operational costs. The test will be conducted at the pilot plant built in 2016 by CLC as part of its future polymetallic refinery project.

The RAWMINA project involves an international consortium consisting of 19 specialist partners from 10 countries and has been underway since 2021. The project’s final phase is now being executed. CLC’s Director of Innovation and Environment, Joaquín Gotor, noted that this project will enable them to produce new metals using circular economy principles while contributing to greater environmental sustainability. Marco Lopes, Impact Acceleration Manager at project partner Crowdhelix, sees RAWMINA as being at the forefront of mitigating EU critical resource scarcity by revolutionizing the production of raw materials within the EU by harnessing the potential of mine waste resources.