Mining remains essential to meet the growing demand for raw materials. But there are potential environmental risks associated with mining, such as the instability of tailings dams or the contamination of soil and water. In order to prevent these risks and optimize the efficiency of resource extraction, twelve international partners within the framework of the European research project MOSMIN have set themselves the task of using Copernicus satellite and ground-based data to geotechnically and environmentally monitor mine waste deposits and evaluate their potential as ore deposits. Coordinated by the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at the Helmholtz Cen­ter Dresden-Rossendorf, the project partners will develop and test Earth observation (EO)-based techniques o­ver the next three years. The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) funds the project with almost three million euros.

Industrial processes generate inevitably of fine-grained residues. Researchers in the FINEST project are looking for solutions to bring these various material streams of anthropogenic origin back into the industrial value chain. A significant contribution will be made by doctoral students, who will receive interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary training in the research school that is part of the project. The twelve doctoral students will receive targeted training during the three-year doctoral period in order to gain a holistic view of research in the field of resource reco­very. They will use their knowledge to create and apply solutions for a sustainable Circular Economy.

The report identifies options for action to strengthen the contribution of secondary raw materials to secure Germany's supply of metals and industrial minerals. The HIF was also significantly involved in the two-year discussion process.

The scientific exchange between the two institutions will be intensified and is to be manifested in a cooperation agreement.

Since March he is appointed for the chair of innovation and technology ­manage­ment at the Dresden uni­versity. Dr. Simone Raatz and Prof. Jens Gutzmer informed him about the research at HIF and the successfull spinn-offs. Moreo­ver, the visionaire circulareconomy project FlexiPlant was presented.

The energy transition, more and more high-tech products, but also supply bottlenecks are putting domestic mining back into the focus of raw material extraction. But, most of the easily exploitable high-grade deposits have already been depleted. For the future, the mining sector will have to efficiently produce metals and minerals from low-grade orebodies with complex mineralogical and microstructural properties. To estimate the resources and reserves contained in a deposit, and to evaluate the potential reco­very, modelling tools that are reliable and robust are necessary. Dr. Lucas Pereira from the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) belonging to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, developed modelling techniques of reco­very processes, more specifically mineral se­paration processes, suited to complex ores. The Helmholtz Association recognizes his thesis with the Doctoral Award in the energy research field for its creative excellence.

Recycling used batteries and especially the graphite they contain is Dr. Vanderbruggen's research focus. Her concern is not only to increase the amount of recycled graphite, but also to report on the important topic of battery recycling. She has now received an award for her science communication.

The recently published Critical Raw Material­s Act (CRMA) of the European Commission aims to strengthen all stages of the European value chains for critical raw materials. The further process of the CRMA is accompanied by EU Parliamentarian Cornelia Ernst as shadow rapporteur, for which she also visited the HIF as part of her raw materials tour.

The pressing supply risk of raw materials along with increased environmental awareness put end-of-life vehicles into the spot light of recycling as a valuable source for raw materials. In the Car2Car project, a consortium of automotive industry, recyclers and scientists addresses the challenges of closing material loops. The focus lies on increasing the quality of the secondary raw materials from end-of-life vehicles by means of innovative dismantling and automated, accurate detection and processing solutions. The Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, an institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), contributes its expertise in material recognition using spectroscopy-based sensor technology together with efficient data processing solutions. Through improved recycling products, the Car2Car project aims to increase the proportion of secondary materials in new vehicles as a prerequisite for closing material loops in a circular economy.

The department of process metallurgy of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) focuses on the energy and recycling challenges. It deals with the designing, development and linking of metallurgical process chains and systems. These approaches can provide balanced material and energy requirements, mitigated energy losses and environmental impact of the Circular Economy system. To expand the metallurgical research activities the institute of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) receives a plasma furnace from the British company Tetronics for treatment of metallurgical ores & secondary resources.

In the log term Dr Ajay Patil focus on establishing a competence cen­ter in process metallurgy and circular economy of critical raw materials and technology metals

Saving energy and raw materials as well as reducing environmental impacts is as urgent as ne­ver before. That´s why consumers and suppliers alike seek to understand how to get reliable material, production, or recycling ­information to make better-informed designing and purchasing decisions for a circular economy. European researchers with participation of scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) within the TripleLink project created a software-based solution of existing and new developed software packages to o­vercome limitations and create opportunities for the implementation of circular strategies by industry and policy-makers.