EU R&D activity and strategy for sustainable development in the mineral industries

Abstract

After a brief history of European Commission research activities in the field of mineral processing, some EC shared-cost projects in this area are presented.

Beyond the general aim of strengthening the competitiveness of European industry, the specific objectives of EC research programmes are to support the effect of the European industry, to improve product quality and to promote sustainable development. Several successful projects have helped developing new flotation processes to increase yield and grades, new bio-hydrometallurgical processes to treat gold, complex sulphide, manganese ores and industrial minerals. Several others have investigated new clean routes to treat or recycle spent products, used materials, industrial solid and liquid wastes, residues, slags or scraps.

In the fourth Framework Programme, part of the budget will be allocated within the Industrial and Materials Technologies Programme to reinforce the trend towards clean production, sustainable mineral processing and extractive metallurgy, management of wastes and recycling of products and materials.