Brussels, 05/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - To overcome the shortage of raw materials, the lifeblood of the European high-tech industry, the Commission proposed, at the end of February, setting up a European Innovation Partnership - pooling capital and human resources, member states, companies and researchers will join innovation efforts to support exploration, extraction and processing of raw materials.
The Commission says innovation can be a powerful vehicle in meeting Europe's challenges in the field of raw materials. For example, advanced remote controlled operations and automation in underground mines and the innovative use of bioleaching can make mining in the EU more competitive and sustainable. New recycling techniques or waste collection and treatment best practice has great potential to improve the efficiency and quality of the recycling of key raw materials. This situation calls for targeted innovation and research efforts, breakthrough technologies and multidisciplinary approaches to bridge the gaps in our knowledge.
To speed up this process, the Commission proposes concrete targets, to be achieved by 2020 at the latest, for the partnership of member states, companies and researchers. It proposes putting in place up to 10 innovative pilot initiatives (e.g. demonstration plants) for exploration, extraction and processing, collection and recycling. Also proposed is the development of substitutes for at least three key applications of critical and scarce raw materials. The Commission suggests, too, improving efficiency in material use and in prevention, re-use and recycling of valuable raw materials from waste streams, with a specific focus on materials having a potentially negative impact on the environment. It calls for a network of research, education and training centres on sustainable mining and materials management (M³), and European standardised statistical instruments for the survey of resources and reserves and a 3-D geological map. It also proposes a dynamic modelling system linking trends in supply and demand and a full lifecycle analysis. Lastly, the Commission wants to see a pro-active EU strategy in multi-lateral organisations and in bilateral relations, such as with Australia, the US and Japan.
The Commission says this partnership would seek to provide the EU with enough flexibility and alternatives in the supply of important raw materials, while taking into account the importance of mitigating the negative environmental effects of some materials during their life cycle. Its objective will be to make the EU the world leader in exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution capabilities by 2020. A strategic implementation plan will be developed by early 2013. (EH/transl.rt)