ReviRis can make a difference!

Mining by its very nature disturbs the land and has a significant influence on what the post-mining landscape and land use becomes. Traditional reclamation practices have been, in the case of formally rehabilitated sites, to return the land to as much of an original condition as possible. In cases of abandoned or mine sites that received minimal or no formal rehabilitation efforts, this becomes more problematic. The locally affected community has the closest attachment to these landscapes, and it is their best interest to be part of the decision-making process; one that considers the social, economic and biophysical implications of any closure and rehabilitation plan. Thus, the key is the active participation and the extension of the Social Licence to Operate through mine closure and site rehabilitation and guarantee that local communities play an active role in the ultimate post-mining landscape and land use.

The goal of ReviRis

The goal of ReviRis is to develop a participatory evaluative toolbox to be applied in the design and implementation of strategies for the revitalization of post-mining sites and transitional landscapes. The toolbox will be addressed to decision-makers (regional and local governments, industry, and communities) and it will be highly focused on boosting the involvement and engagement of different stakeholders.

The product: the evaluative toolbox for post-mining sites

The evaluative toolbox will encompass a Multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) tool and a (GIS) Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) that will integrate social, economic and biophysical attributes, and it will be tested using examples of post-mining sites within the RIS region.

Timeline and organization of the project

The ReviRis project started in January 2020 and will continue through to the end of December 2021. The consortium is composed by 8 partners from 6 countries: Austria, Estonia, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The overall project schedule includes 7 work packages.

WP0: Project management

The purpose of WP0 is to lead, manage, coordinate, and monitor the progress of the project and to ensure that the project meets that have been marked.

This WP is composed by 2 tasks:

• Task 0.1 Management and Reporting
• Task 0.2 Management of the Consortium and interacting with the Advisory Board

WP1: Framing land-use planning and regional development

The objectives of WP1 is to compile elements of spatial planning based on regional and local development strategies and elaborate an inventory of transitional and post-mining sites in the RIS regions.

The tasks of WP1 are:

• Task 1.1 Inventory of transitional and post-mining sites in the mining regions.
• Task 1.2: Mapping the actual planning and regional development practices.
• Task 1.3 Mapping and contextualizing the current practices of civic engagement.

WP2: Social license and acceptance

The objectives of WP2 are to:

a) Determine (qualitatively and quantitatively) the current SL/SA state concerning mining and life after mining.

b) Evaluate and determine the future social benefit potential through rehabilitation of the mine site.

c) Develop social parameters necessary to include in the planning process related to mine closure and revitalization of mining sites.

d) Map the challenges, enablers, and barriers related to revitalization (rehabilitation) and mine closure from the perspective of social parameters.

e) Map local perceptions and local narratives of mine closure and revitalization of post-mining sites in its relation to social benefit sharing.

f) Develop a methodology for social factor inclusion in mine site rehabilitation processes.

The tasks of WP2 are:

• Task 2.1 Establish a detailed overview and understanding of mine closure with regards to social consequences through the definition of current best and worst practice social standards in mine closure around the world.
• Task 2.2 Establish an overview of the current wider social situation of the RIS countries in question through the establishment of the current social status quo of countries in question.
• Task 2.3 Establishment of quantitative and qualitative regional social context criteria specific to the transitional and post-mining condition.
• Task 2.4 Local and regional stakeholder involvement and engagement.
• Task 2.5 Establishment of an option catalogue for necessary and feasible social action to be included in the rehabilitation process.

WP3: Definition of site evaluation criteria and indicators

The aim of WP3 is to define the criteria and the analytical and spatial data to be considered in the Multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) toolkit and in the (GIS) Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS). Adequate profiles (types) of transitional landscape areas will be defined. Appropriate weighting and multi-criteria decision-making methods will be developed considering the profile and type of transitional area to be evaluated. Selection of most viable distinct MCA techniques and methodologies in order to include uncertainty and risk in the decision support toolkit and to allow the stakeholder to explore its viewpoints will be explored.

The tasks that form WP3 are:

• Task 3.1 Establishment of the social, environmental, cultural and economic indicators specific to the transitional and post-mining conditions.
• Task 3.2 Establishment of a site-specific matrix for a definition of transitional evolutionary profiles.
• Task 3.3 Development of preliminary MCDM toolkit.

WP4: Definition of site evaluation criteria and indicators

The purpose of WP4 is to examine selected case studies, both on regional and local scale. An analytical and experimental approach will be implemented in order to test the utility of the developed models and tools on selected post-mining regions and sites.

The tasks of WP4 are:

• Task 4.1: Elaborate models of revitalization in post-mining regions.
• Task 4.2: Prepare a compendium on post-mining land use.
• Task 4.3: Verification of models and tools on a regional and local scale.

WP5: Development of a toolkit for stakeholders

The objective of WP5 is to capitalize on what was learned from WPs1-4 and present a validated and rigorous evaluative decision-making toolkit for different stakeholders. Based on the elements of the contextualizing exercise in WP1, the toolkit will benefit from an understanding of what the current situation is and where the need for such an approach is required. WP2 informs the toolkit in terms of elements of social engagement and how practices in social license and social acceptance are crucial in the post-mining land use decision-making process. Elements of WP3, where the evaluative criteria are developed are validated against a set of case studies in WP4 and finally, the optimized approach is developed.

The tasks that compose WP5 are:

• Task 5.1 Multi-criteria and Risk Analysis - Mathematical Model Development and Optimization.
• Task 5.2 GIS-Based Decision Support System - development and optimization.

WP6: Exploitation, dissemination, and public perception

The objectives of WP6 is to design and implement an overall strategy for the dissemination and exploitation of the project outcomes, as well as to support the protection of the intellectual property rights deriving from the activities and results of the project.

The tasks that are planned for WP6 are:

• Task 6.1 Knowledge management and intellectual property protection
• Task 6.2 Dissemination and communication of the project

The mining industry has played a critical role in the history of many European nations, forming the basis of their economic and social identity and ‘fabric’, let alone their development over the centuries. The Central, Southern and Eastern Europe were at the heart of these developments, particularly up to and including WWII. After WWII, development in many of these nations was directed to advancing heavy industry, often under the direction of ‘command-type’ economies and centralized planning models.

Mining, a market-driven enterprise, is subject to the vagaries of the marketplace, and as reserves are exhausted or market conditions change, a number of unavoidable socio-economic and considerable environmental degradation can occur. This includes abandoned and insecure surface and underground mines, facilities, lowered or contaminated groundwater and contaminated sites. Those sites are often not stand-alone, but they are embedded in a wider context of land-use planning and regional development. Affected regions are usually burdened with disused mining facilities, different degrees of population density (depending if rural or metropolitan) and socio-economic changes, posing significant challenges for the land use planning (LUP) and RD sector. These difficulties are elevated if mineral extraction was the major economic sector and the cessation of activities plunges these regions into an economic crisis.

Attracting alternate industries to take-up the once highly skilled workforce is often difficult, resulting in a spiral of decline, socially, economically, and environmentally. The “moon landscape” of abandoned mines is one of the most commonly used arguments by opponents of developing new mineral deposits and why post-mining revitalization is important to gather social acceptance, and ultimately access to future mineral deposits.

In this context, REVITALISATION is understood as both rehabilitations making the area environmentally safe and socio-economic renewal. Taking this into account, also the potential of post-mining areas (e.g. heritage, flooded excavations, geological phenomena) should be better used for regional and local identity and further socio-economic development. Extensive experience shows that transforming post-mining lands is not just a dream but also a reality. A well-cited example of post-mining land-use is Landschafts Park in Duisburg Nord, being part of larger revitalization programme - International Building Exhibition Emscher Park (1989-1999) in the Ruhr Area by NRW.URBAN – a company dedicated to post-mining revitalization. A similar program is IBA Fürst-Pückler-Land (2000-2010) in Lusatia (Germany).

Both cases involved the environmental and cultural restructuring of old industrial regions and the development of green landscapes; recreational, cultural and educational facilities and innovative services. The ‘design’ of this landscape was revolutionary in the sense that it provides the opportunity for the land to transform rather than using the more typical model of an instant solution. The experience of the RIS countries indicates that attempts have been made to organize reclamation and revitalization on a scale above the local level, however, these processes were not always comprehensive or successful largely due to the lack of a regional approach and effective tools for evaluation and execution of revitalization opportunities.

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Tallinn University of Technology

(TalTech) – coordinator of the consortium

Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), the only technological university in Estonia, is the flagship of Estonian engineering and technology education. TalTech Department of Geology, which embodies mining engineering, basic and applied geology, has long traditions of close cooperation with Estonian raw material sector. Developing novel information solutions for geoscience research, geoengineering CO2 capture or addressing the challenges of social licensing – our goal is to provide innovatively sustainable solution for future mineral resource exploration and mining in the Baltic Sea region.

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National Technical University of Athens

 (NTUA)

National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is an institution of higher education and research for Engineering studies in Greece. Established in 1837, NTUA is among the most prestigious Technical Institutions in Europe and employs more than 800 Academics that teach more than 7000 students. NTUA has 9 Schools including the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering (SMME). The Laboratory of Metallurgy of the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering is one of the most active NTUA laboratories. Its activities are mainly focused on research and technology development in the field of extractive industries including processing of ores and industrial minerals, environmental characterisation and rehabilitation of sites polluted from mining and metallurgical activities, modelling and computer simulation of industrial production processes, life cycle analysis and environmental assessment of products and industrial processes and networking in the areas of mining, ornamental stones and mineral processing. All these activities have led to the gain of considerable expertise and international reputation. In the last 10 years alone, the Laboratory of Metallurgy has been involved in more than 50 projects with partners from many industrial companies, academic and research institutes in Europe and has produced more the 200 scientific publications in international journals and international scientific conferences. The Laboratory of Metallurgy currently employs 6 members of academic staff, 7 senior engineers holding PhD degree and over 10 postgraduate students. The Laboratory of Metallurgy, SMME cooperates with most of the mining-metallurgical companies in Greece, providing technical and scientific consulting services. The laboratory has undertaken the execution of a number of projects related to environmental characterization of waste and soil, environmental monitoring, risk assessment of metal contaminated sites, development of preventive and remedial techniques for Acid Mine Drainage problems, as well as development of remediation techniques for metal polluted waters, sediments and soils. The Laboratory operates EIT RawMaterials HUB-Regional Center Greece that connects interactively academia-research-industry Knowledge Triange of the Greek mining sector and has participated in a number of European projects related to policy guidance and networking on Raw Materials (MINGUIDE, MINLAND, MIREU, REMIX).

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Universidade Nova de Lisboa

(FCT NOVA) 

The NOVA University of Lisbon – NOVA School of Sciences and Technology (FCT NOVA), located at Campus of Caparica is one of the most prestigious Portuguese engineering and science public schools. It is engaged in extensive research activity developed in 16 research centers involving 1600 PhD and Master’s students of the total enrolment of 7800. The FCT NOVA is one of the most dynamically developing technical universities in Portugal. Among the 14 Departments of the Faculty, students can choose from various fields of study within the 51 MSc and 57 PhD programmes, some of them financed by the “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia” (the Portuguese National Authority for Science and Technology) and other in association with universities from Europe and the USA. FCT NOVA partners with foreign universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Carnegie Mellon and the University of Texas at Austin to offer some of its advanced study programs. FCT NOVA is involved in many research and educational programmes, such as Erasmus+ and Erasmus Mundus. The very well-equipped laboratories and the world-class quality of research result in co-operation with many Portuguese and multinationals Partners. Within the concept of Circular Economy the FCT-UNL teaches and conducts research in the areas of Geological Engineering with emphasis in mineral resources, of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Materials Sciences. Owing to its collaboration with companies and related industries from these areas, the Faculty fulfils an integrating function for the scientific and business societies in Portugal and abroad. This manifests not only in the typical research, scientific and teaching activity but also in organizing scientific and technological conferences, providing supplementary training, as well as cultivating the traditions of mining, and fostering the recycling and substitution in the circular economy, needed for modern societies. NOVA, through the participation of its investigation Center, GeoBioTec, brings to the consortium the expertise in geoenvironmental and geological engineering. GeoBioTec is a research partnership between the Aveiro University (UA, general coordination) and the universities NOVA de Lisboa (FCT-NOVA) and Beira Interior (UBI). GeoBioTec develops interdisciplinary studies in geophysics, geochemistry, geostatistics, soil, biology, paleontology, petrology, mineralogy, industrial minerals, geomaterials, geotechnics, isotopic geology, hydrogeology, structural geology, volcanology, SIG’s and remote sensing. In July 2020, GeoBioTec integrates 85 researchers (21 from FCT-NOVA) and 61 PhD Students (17 from FCT-NOVA) and is organized in five research groups, three with researchers from FCT-NOVA. Members of NOVA/GeoBioTec integrates the teams of the Horizon 2020 research and innovation project MIREU (“Mining and Metallurgy Regions of EU”) and the INTERREG Europe (PGI02400) REMIX (“Smart and Green Mining Regions of EU”). Regarding EIT KIC Raw Materials and educative projects, GeoBioTec members integrated the Project “Underground resources traveling exhibition (TravelEx1)” and, presently, the Master Programs “OpenYourMine” and “AMIR-RIS”. GeoBioTec members has also other participation in EIT KIC Raw Materials like raPHOSafe and BioLeach Projects. In ReviRIS, GeoBiotec Team is involved in WP3 Definition of site evaluation criteria and indicators and WP5 Development of a toolkit for stakeholders, being Partner Leader of both WP.

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Montanuniversität Leoben

(ULEOBEN) 

The Resources Innovation Center Leoben at Montanuniversität Leoben is home to the international partnerships of the university in the areas of sustainable science, education and industrialization. The first partnership was the EIT RawMaterials, a pan European 125-partner network for raw materials, a so-called Knowledge & Innovation Community (KIC) of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology. A KIC consists of a consortium of industry, science and education stakeholders, which try to contribute to the solution of societal challenges through innovation projects. In particular, RIC Leoben works on projects in the areas of education, sustainable exploration & mining, technological innovation and recycling and is an active partner in terms of the strategic development of the community. Our next step was to join the EIT Climate-KIC, which is also a Knowledge & Innovation Community. Here, the areas of Urban Transition and Sustainable Production Systems to foster a climate resilient society are our main focus. Another pillar at RIC Leoben is sustainable development, in which we are committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through various initiatives. One of the key activities in this respect is the implementation of the goals in the Austrian Higher Education sector through a joint network project of all universities. What all our partnerships have in common: they are thematically connected and synergetic aiming at sustainable innovation in the resources sector for a better future.

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AGH University of Science and Technology

(AGH) 

The AGH University of Science and Technology was established in 1919. Nowadays, the University, being a technical school, serves science and industry through educating students, constant improvement of academic staff, as well as wide range of research and development activities. A wide scope of studies conducted at the university is a result of its contemporary structure, which has been shaped over the last 100 years. Moreover, the progress of the University units was connected with dynamic growth of the country’s economy. Research areas include among other: Geology and Mining; Information Technologies; New Materials and Technologies; Environment and Climate Changes; Energy and its Resources; Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Exact and Earth Sciences; Social-Economic Sciences and Humanities. AGH UST has number of commercial technological and scientific laboratories. The university has over 700 laboratories which are exclusively used for educational purposes. AGH UST hosts one of the largest and most important nodes of the Polish part of the Internet. As a university of practical character, AGH UST focuses on collaboration with business and industry. It has signed partnership agreements with approximately 300 industrial plants, including large international corporations. The scope of research conducted by Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering is related to whole range of mining activities – from planning and construction, through processing and waste management to reclamation and revitalization. Years of cooperation with industry and governments are evidence of strong practical experience in the field and a base for research and scientific publications. Currently, at the Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering, Research Group led by Professor Marek Cała, has been developing the topic " Models of transition to a climate-neutral, circular economy for mining regions undergoing transformation". The Research Group cooperates with regional and local governments and investors in the scope of revitalization of post-mining areas including technical, environmental, energy, urban, social, legal and economic aspects. Faculty is and have been a partner of multiple European Projects related to mining and post-mining activity.

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 Amphos 21 Consulting

(A21)

Amphos 21 Consulting S.L. is a SME that provides scientific and technical consultancy services addressing a range of environmental issues, mainly associated with (1) management of radioactive and industrial waste, (2) management of water resources, environment and mining, contaminated land and energy optimization and (3) sustainability, circular economy, environmental management and the attenuation of the effects of, and the adaptation to, climate change. The main output is the expert advice to industry, mining companies and national agencies and regulators, along with industrial innovation. Amphos 21 counts on a team of more than 40 highly qualified professional specialized in scientific and technical disciplines related to geosciences. Amphos 21 has been involved in a large number of EC-funded projects of research and training since FP6. Recent projects on research and innovation in mining and critical raw materials are MSP-REFRAM (Multi-Stakeholder Platform for a Secure Supply of Refractory Metals, 2017-2019), SCRREEN (Solutions for critical raw materials- An European Expert Network, 2017-2020), e.THROUGH (Thinking rough towards sustainability, 2018 – 2021), and ITERAMS (Integrated Mineral Technologies for More Sustainable Raw Material Supply, 2017-2020).

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Environmental Chemical & Metallurgical Services

(ECHMES) 

ECHMES Ltd. is a private Consultancy Company established in Athens, Greece in 1994. The company provides high quality services in the field of Environmental and Project Management within the framework of Sustainable Development, Environmental and Social Risk Mitigation.

ECHMES holds extensive expertise in the Mining, Metallurgical, Chemical and Energy Industry with services offered to national and international private and public companies. The company also cooperates with Universities and Research Institutes, in order to implement research programs and develop technology in the fields of its interest. Monitoring of the services is obtained through the implementation and continuous improvement of Quality Management System (EN ISO 9001:2015).

ECHMES Ltd. consultancy firm is registered to the official Greek Consultancy Register (Reg. No. 898). The company holds Insurance for professional liability coverage (Error & Omissions) from LLOYD's, London through KOUTINAS SA.

ECHMES’ services are related to:

Environmental Studies and Permits

• Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) Studies
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Studies
• Environmental Management Programs
• Solid waste and wastewater management studies

Project Design and Development

• Project design and sustainable development of natural resources
• Metallurgical, chemical-technical and other industrial studies
• Risk Management and Risk Assessment Studies
• Mine closure, Rehabilitation of old mining and industrial sites

Sustainable Management Systems

• Environmental and Social due diligence
• Design and implementation of quality, environmental, energy and health & safety management systems
• Social responsibility reporting

Economic, Technical and Research

• Feasibility studies-Business plans
• Funding development programs
• Research programs

Geographic Information System (GIS) applications

• Spatial processing and multi criteria data analysis
• Development of Geographic Information System (GIS) applications
• Innovative methods of data capture, UAS (drone) operation

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KGHM Polska Miedź

(KGHM) 

The KGHM Polska Miedź team in ReviRis project consists of two people. The professional staff Dariusz Teodorski and Piotr Spaliński are employed by KGHM and have experience in the issues of mine liquidation and work in the preparation of the concept of reclamation and revitalization of post-mining facilities. The KGHM team carries out the tasks provided for in WP.1, WP 4 and WP6 packages under the supervision of prof. Anna Ostręga from Krakow. KGHM will cooperate within the ReviRis project in the following scope: Task 1.1 - will participate in the descriptive inventory of selected post-mining facilities related to the copper industry in Lower Silesia, including in particular in the Polish copper basin. Task 4.2. - will prepare a liquidation project and a revitalization concept for the Lubichów mine. He will take part in the analysis of the factors that caused the prepared concept not to be finally implemented. Task 4.3 - will validate the mining facilities to be decommissioned by KGHM and develop a preliminary concept for the revitalization of the Lubin Zachodni shaft area. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is now a multi-sector, international and multicultural company. The company was founded with the discovery in 1957 of rich copper ore deposits (sandstone - carbonate - shale) in the region of Lubin and Polkowice and the establishment in 1960 of the state enterprise Zakłady Górnicze "Lubin" under construction. In 1961, Państwowe Zakłady Górnicze "Lubin" under construction was transformed into Kombinat Górniczo-Hutniczy Miedzi under construction. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. it is currently an integrated mining and processing complex and is the only functioning center of the copper industry in Poland. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is one of the largest mining copper producers in the world and the second largest producer of silver in the world.

Meet the ReviRis team! An interdisciplinary group of scientists, consultants and industry members working for the same goal.

Michael Hitch (TalTech)

Professor Michael Hitch, P.Eng., P.Geo. is an Executive Board Member for the EIT Raw Materials and a Tenured Mining Engineering Professor at Department of Geology of Tallinn University of Technology. Professor Hitch has spent 23 years in the raw materials sector in various capacities ranging from and including a field geologist to that of being a senior executive with some of the world's largest and most successful mining companies. During this time, he developed a keen awareness of the role of raw materials in society, but more importantly how the importance of societal values throughout the raw materials value chain contribute to sustainable and prosperous communities. His work has taken him to over 190 countries worldwide and has been involved with the development of six mining operations. In every case, his priority has been to ensure an equitable distribution of benefits to all stakeholders, mindful environmental stewardship, and effective governance.

Veiko Karu (TalTech)

 

Jessica Strydom (TalTech)

Jessica’s research background is in applied environmental geology and soil science devoted to remediation and rehabilitation of degraded land and mining waste disposal sites. She received her undergraduate and MSc degrees in geology from Northwest University, Potchefstroom, South Africa and is currently a PhD candidate at Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France. Apart from geology and soil science teaching, previous work experience involved research and consulting for a number of remediation projects with, amongst other, kaolinite-, kimberlite-, coal- and gold mines. From a personal perspective, Jessica is highly committed to wider society learning and continuous education, which led her to become involved with EIT Raw Materials and ReviRis.

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Evangelia Mylona (NTUA

Evangelia Mylona studied Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at National Technical University of Athens. In the period 1993-1996, she worked as a junior researcher in the Institute of Materials Science, N.C.S.R., “DEMOKRITOS” and NTUA. In the period 1996-1998, she worked as an environmental engineer in the mining company TVX Hellas S.A. Since 1998, she has worked as a researcher at NTUA. She is currently a member of the Special Technical Laboratory Staff of NTUA, offering specialized technical laboratory services for the implementation of educational and research activities at the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering. She has more than 25 years of experience on the environmental management of industrial wastes, especially characterisation, risk assessment and development of rehabilitation technologies of mine wastes exhibiting acid drainage generation and metals leachability. She has participated as a senior researcher in more than 10 national and EC research projects associated with the environmental management of mining activities. She has authored or co-authored more than 40 articles published in Scientific Journals and Conference Proceedings. She has been actively involved for 20 years in the services provided by the Laboratory of Metallurgy to the Greek mining and metallurgical industries regarding the environmental characterisation of wastes and has been responsible for the design and organisation of laboratory workings, evaluation of results and technical report preparation. She has experience on quality systems and participates as Technical Manager in the ISO 17025 management system of the Laboratory of Metallurgy, involving the execution of chemical analyses and environmental leachability tests on industrial wastes, contaminated soils and sludges.

Maria Taxiarchou (NTUA

Prof. Maria Taxiarchou studied Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at National Technical University of Athens, 1982-1987, and received her PhD degree in Metallurgy from School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering in 1991. She is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of NTUA and has more than 20 years of research experience in the area of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy with 54 publications in refereed journal and conferences totaling 834 citations. The last 10 years, she has participated as scientific responsible or senior researcher in more than 55 national and EC funded projects on the development and evaluation of processing technologies for the treatment of ores and industrial minerals, the production of high added value materials from industrial minerals and mining and metallurgical wastes, assessment and environmental impact and LCA of metallurgical processes, policy guidance and networking on Raw Materials. Her research experience includes process design and development, processing of ores and industrial minerals, synthesis of high added-value materials from ores and industrial minerals, assessment of the environmental impact of products and production processes. She has gained considerable experience on perlite expansion process technology in the sectors of energy efficiency optimization, integration of new technologies and analysis of kinetics and thermodynamics. The last 10 years, she has established close links with university schools specialized in mineral processing and mining and metallurgical industries and has good access to relevant scientific, research and business fora. She participated as member and rapporteur in Operational Group 1 of the EIP on Raw Materials and as member in Working Group I (Opportunities and roadblocks for primary supply of rare earths in Europe (primary resources and stocks) of the ERECON Network. She was also member of the Ad-Hoc working group of the SHERPA Group on the Raw Materials Score Board.

Efthalia Apostolopoulou (NTUA)

Efthalia Apostolopoulou studied Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at National Technical University of Athens in the period 2012-2017. In summer 2016, she interned at the Environmental Department of Hellas Gold S.A, a gold, silver, lead and zinc mining company in Greece. The subject of her diploma thesis concerned the ecotoxicity evaluation of mine wastes using geochemical and biological tests. She is currently a junior researcher at NTUA and participates in projects concerned with the environmental management of mining activities. She has two years of experience in the execution of specialised laboratory tests, in accordance with ISO 17025 quality system for the physical and geochemical characterisation of mine wastes. She has been also involved in the interpretation of environmental characterisation tests and preparation of technical reports.

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Sofia Barbosa (FCT-NOVA)

Sofia Barbosa is a full-time Assistant Professor at FCT-NOVA since 2014 and a member of the GeoBioTec NOVA Research Centre. She has a degree in Geological Engineer, a Master in Georesources and a PhD in Geological Engineering. She started its academic activities at FCT-NOVA in 1999 as an invited Professor, teaching the class “Economic Geology and Geological Energetic Resources”. Its professional career began also in 1999 in EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A. Sofia has 15 years of experience on old mine rehabilitation and reclamation design and field works, characterization studies and environmental monitoring. Sofia has 11 years of experience as chief coordinator of more than twenty different EU founding projects related with environmental passive mine treatment, characterization and monitoring. She had developed specialized works on very acid and high pyritic content geochemical environments and also on old mining areas related with radium-226 and uranium exploitation, including Waste Treatment and Mine Water Management – Passive Systems (including wetlands) and Active Treatment Systems. Presently, at FCT-NOVA, she is responsible for the Curricular Units of the graduation and master Courses in Geological Engineering: “Economic Geology and Geological Energetic Resources” and “Groundwater and Reactive Transport Modelling”. She also gives partial support to the Curricular Units related with “Mineral Processing” (Metallic Minerals), “Modelling in Geological Engineering”, “Geological Engineering Exploration”, “Geophysics”, “Data Processing and Analysis”. Sofia is particularly interested on the study of primary and secondary resources of valuable and critical metals. Also, and due to its professional experience, she has specialized skills on geoenvironmental characterisation and modeling systems specially related with soil and groundwater contamination. Between 2014 and 2020, she has been selected as an Expert Evaluator and Project Monitor by the European Commission for the H2020 projects, being also a reviewer in different scientific journals.

Sandra Lourenço Amaro (FCT-NOVA)

Sandra is a Portuguese geological engineering PhD student, integrated as a researcher in GeoBioTech centre, in School of Science and Technology of NOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal). In her PhD she will research and develop ways to link multi-criteria decision methods with spatial decision support systems regarding post-mining land use solutions. Part of her PhD is linked with ReviRIS project, where she is involved in WP3 – Definition of site evaluation criteria and indicators (social, environmental, cultural, economic and Geoethical) and WP5 - Development of a toolkit for stakeholders. She holds a master’s degree in Economic geology, and specialisation in Mineral Exploration and started her professional career as a junior geologist in a Portuguese limestone quarry. She also worked as a GIS technician in an environmental consultancy company. Recently, she was involved in MIREU Horizon 2020’s project where she researched EU funding instruments and opportunities for mining and metallurgy sector.

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Susanne Feiel (UNILEOBEN) 

Susanne Feiel is head of the Resource Innovation Center at Montanuniversität Leoben in Austria. It is the leading network and central hub for the development of new and sustainable education, research and innovation formats in the circular resource sector and their vertical integration into the university, Austrian partner landscape, industry, and society. This includes technological, ecological, economic, social and policy relevant aspects. The RIC houses MUL's participation in the EIT RawMaterials, the EIT Climate-KIC, its SDG and sustainability measures and serves as a platform for the interdisciplinary linking of the institution's internal expertise for integration into large-scale projects. In parallel to this activity, she continues to exercise her function as head of the international department of the University, which also includes the new International Competence Centre for Mining-Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO, which was opened in December 2019 and is operated jointly with the St. Petersburg Mining University. Despite her manifold functions, she has always been passionately committed to her work and the symbiotic development of the several fields. Susanne's vision is a comprehensive internationalization of her institution through long-term, stable, and qualitatively strong partnerships with other universities. In the RIC, education, awareness and the creation of visibility for the resource sector has become a priority area, as has the integration of the university's resource activities into initiatives for sustainable development, recycling and climate protection in order to promote the development of responsible resource consumption and production. This has recently led to the successful acquisition of a European University with the same focus. Susanne is actively involved in networking in various relevant stakeholder groups, for example as a Sherpa in the High-Level Steering Group of the European Innovation Partnership for Raw Materials or in the institutional panel for sustainable development. Currently, she is writing a PhD thesis on the responsible production cycle of materials in the light of SDG12 and numerous sustainability theories. She is developing an evaluation scheme based on ecological limits, which will be tested using the example of aluminium.

Gloria Ammerer (UNILEOBEN) 

After her “Gymnasium Matura” (higher level education diploma) she started studying at the Montanuniversität Leoben “Resource Engineering”. 2012-2017 she paused her studies in Leoben to absolve her music study (major: oboe; focus on jazz & popular music) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. After her graduation she resumed her studies in Leoben and since May 2018 she is part of the “Resource Innovation Center (RIC)”- Team in Leoben. In addition to her numerous musical engagements, she can also look back on a wealth of experience in the raw material extraction industry in the course of various internships and projects. Her research focuses on the social acceptance and socio-economic effects of raw material extraction and circular economy. Interdisciplinarity, creativity and the ability to think outside the box are important qualities for her to achieve her research goals.

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Anna Ostręga (AGH) 

Anna Ostręga, DSc, PhD, Eng. is an associated professor in the Mining and Geoengineering Faculty at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Poland. She is mining and environmental engineer by education. Her scientific interests are concentrated in the field connected with the legal and ecological aspects of mining activities, as well as post-mining reclamation and revitalisation including protection of industrial heritage. She took part in dozens of studies related to mineral deposits development and post-mining revitalisation, including towns affected by the extractive industry, ordered by mining industry, local and regional government, and ministries. In 2007-2013 she was a member of the Central Expert Database of the Ministry of Regional Development to evaluate revitalisation projects. Anna Ostręga has developed a method of designing the revitalisation of large and diverse post-mining regions, which fulfils the principles of objectivity by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process. In the post-mining revitalisation, she incorporates concept of Sustainable Tourism. In cooperation with architects, she developed an innovative on the national scale, project for a coherent revitalisation of the post-mining region (trademark registered at the Patent Office). Currently, she cooperates with self-governments and investors from coal regions in transition in the scope of post-mining areas revitalisation. Anna Ostręga also gained experience by taking part in internships and training programme in the (post)mining regions in: Germany (Ruhr Area – Ruhrkohle AG, NRW.URBAN GmbH Co.KG and Lusatia – LMBV, IBA Fürst-Pückler-Land GmbH, GMB GmbH), France (EPF NPdC), UK (Banks Group and the Land trust) and Spain (Instituto del Patrimonio Histórico Español). Anna Ostręga has been taking part as a leader, partner or external expert in several international projects that are connected with mining and post-mining activities: The Study of Minerals Planning Policies in Europe, INCORD, REGENTIF, ENMR, ReRegions, COURBIT, MIN-NOVATION, MINATURA 2020, MINLEX, MIREU and ReviRIS.

 Kazimierz Różkowski (AGH)

Kazimierz Różkowski, PhD, Eng. is an assistant professor in the Mining and Geoengineering Faculty at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Poland. He is a hydrogeologist by education. His scientific interests are concentrated in the field connected with the mining hydrogeology, dewatering, influence of mining on environment, post-mining reclamation and revitalization, water supply, water issues within protected areas. Kazimierz Różkowski took part in dozens of studies related to mining hydrogeology, water reclamation and transformation of water relations under the influence of anthropopressure. Within his interests are especially hydrogeological and hydrological problems in urbanized mining regions of Upper Silesia, Lower Silesia and Kielce agglomeration. Currently he cooperates with regional and local self-governments and investors from coal regions in transition in the frame of their revitalization.

Marek Cała (AGH)

Professor Marek Cała DSc, PhD, Eng. (Dean of the Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering AGH UST from 2016, in the years 2009–2016 Deputy Dean) is a specialist in the application of numerical methods and computer techniques for solving various problems of geomechanics and geotechnics concerning, e.g. stability of underground excavations and slope stability in the opencast mines. Since 2016, Marek Cała has been the President of the World Mining Congress, and since 1999 a member of the Mining Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He is also a member of the International Society for Rock Mechanics. Appointed by the President of the State Mining Authority to many committees dedicated to specific hazards in underground mines extracting. Professor's Marek Cała scientific achievements constitute over 200 publications in journals, conference materials of domestic and foreign monographs as well as over 300 scientific studies, expert opinions and projects for national and world industry (Norway, Switzerland, Vietnam, Sierra Leone). Studies and expertise for the mining industry concern, among others: the impact of excavations on surface deformations as well as linear and cubature infrastructure; assessment of the rock mass condition based on the analysis of the measurements of the lowering of the land surface as well as geoengineering and geotechnical conditions of the reclamation of post-mining facilities, including the revitalisation of mining heritage ("Queen Louise Mine"). Currently, he cooperates with self-governments and investors from coal regions in transition in the scope of post-mining areas revitalisation. He participated in 8 international projects e.g. LOOP - Landing Once on Phobos, financed by the European Space Agency and 20 national grants. Marek Cała has been participating as a leader or partner in EU-funded projects related to the management of mineral resources, mining waste, safety engineering and post-mining revitalisation (in frame of programs: Interreg, H2020, KIC, ELSE).

Zuzanna Łacny (AGH)

Zuzanna Łacny is a research assistant at AGH University of Science and Technology (Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering) in Kraków, Poland. Zuzanna is a PhD candidate with an environmental engineering master's degree. Her research is focused mainly on the social aspect of mining activities and revitalisation of post-mining areas. She is actively involved in European projects covering topics related to raw materials, especially social acceptance, spatial planning, legislation (MIREU), reclamation and revitalization (ReviRIS) and education (ESEE Education Initiatives). Currently, she cooperates with self-governments and investors from coal regions in transition in the scope of post-mining areas revitalisation. She is the co-author of studies for local governments related to revitalisation and social aspects of mining activity. 

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Jordi Guimerà (Amphos 21) 

Jordi obtained his graduate in Geology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) in 1985 and is PhD in Applied Sciences (Geology) at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) in 1992, specializing in Hydrogeology and Soil Science. He has developed the professional career since 1984 in consulting firms (Geotecnia Geólogos Consultores, Bacelona, 1987; Compañía General de Sondeos, Tarragona 1985-1988, Madrid. 1984; QuantiSci/Enviros, Barcelona 1997-2007, currently, Amphos 21 Consulting SL) and as PhD candidate, post-doctoral fellow and lecturer at the Civil Engineering School of Barcelona from 1988 to 1998. He has been involved in many subjects related to hydrogeology: soil science, behaviour and fate of nitrogen compounds, hydrogeology of low permeability media applied to radioactive waste disposal and civil engineering, soil pollution by industrial activities, aquifer management, integrated water resource management and solute transport modelling in 4 continents. He is author and co-author of some 19 peer reviewed articles, more than 100 contributions to congresses, 6 book chapters and a variety of published scientific reports. Jordi has led the Mining Division of the Amphos 21 Group and managed Amphos 21 Consulting Chile Ltda. He is currently the leader of the Hydrological Services at Amphos 21 Consulting SL.

Aina Bruno (Amphos 21)

Aina Bruno is an Industrial Engineer specialized in Chemical Engineering (Polytechnical University of Catalonia, UPC). Master of Science in “Sustainable Technology” at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) (2014-2017), Sweden, and Master of Science in Environmental Development at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. She works as a consultant within the Geochemistry Group at Amphos 21 Consulting, a scientific and strategic environmental consultancy firm. She is involved in projects related to environmental impact assessment, social perception and environmental decision-making for governmental agencies and the industry, principally within the mining/metallurgical (Critical Raw Materials), chemical, energy and waste management sectors. She has participated in several sustainability-related research and applied projects focusing on circular economy and multicriteria analysis methods. Some of the EU funded projects in which she has been involved within the CRM topic are SCRREEN (Solutions for critical raw materials- A European Expert Network, 2017-2020) and e.THROUGH (Thinking rough towards sustainability, 2018 – 2021).

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Antonios Katsifos (ECHMES)

Mr. Antonios Katsifos is a Mining and Metallurgical Engineer, NTUA and he has successfully completed the Accelerated Development program at London Business School. He has extensive industrial experience since 1981 to 2017 in the mining and cement industry. In 1995 he became Vice President and Managing Director at DOMIKI BETON at Heraklion Crete, a position held until 2001. In 1999 he became General Director of HALYPS QUARRY in Attica and in 2001 Sales and Marketing Director of HALYPS CEMENT. He served as Sales and Marketing Director in Cement and Aggregates activity at HALYPS BUILDING MATERIALS S.A. until 2017. In the period 2002 – 2017 he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Cement Industry Association and a member of the Board of Directors of the Mining and Quarry Association in Greece in the period 2014 - 2017. Since 2017 he is a member of the Board of Directors at Vassiliko Cement at Cyprus. Presently Mr. Katsifos is the Partner and Manager in Consultancy firm ECHMES Ltd.

Ioannis Orfanoudakis (ECHMES) 

Mr. Ioannis Orfanoudakis is Environmental Consultant, Mining & Metallurgical Engineer NTUA, M.Sc. Geoinformatics. He holds a Class B’ Certification as a Public Works Consultant in Environmental Studies (Category 27) and in Mining Studies & Research (Category 19). He has 16 years of professional experience on the Sustainable Development of Raw Materials. He has participated in the elaboration and coordination of several studies such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the permitting of mining and industrial Projects, Extractive Waste Management, Mine Closure and rehabilitation. He has acted as a Scientific Coordinator in projects related to the development of Geographic Information System (GIS) applications, creation of spatial databases and multi criteria analysis. He has significant experience in the use of specialized software such as CAD, GIS, etc. He has excellent knowledge of Greek and English language verbal and writing. He is a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).

Antonios Nikolopoulos (ECHMES)

Mr. Antonios Nikolopoulos is Environmental Consultant, graduate of the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of the N.T.U.A. with specialty in Environmental Engineering and Materials Science. He has attended training seminars and workshops on environmental permitting and has experience in Environmental Impact Assessment studies (EIA), closure & rehabilitation studies for quarry activities, application of Quality and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 9001 & 14001) as well as in Environmental and Social Due Diligence services. He has excellent knowledge of Greek and English language, verbal and writing and is a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).

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 Dariusz Teodorski (KGHM)

Mining engineer employed by KGHM since 1995. He has a Master's degree in Mining in the field of Mining and Geology, specialization Underground Mining of Deposits (1993) and a Master's degree also in Economics in the field of Management and Marketing, specialization in Enterprise Management (2000). For almost eighteen years he worked in KGHM in the field of development, taking positions from a specialist to a Department Director. Participant of new technology implementation teams from various areas of KGHM activity. He was a representative of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. research project "BioMine" carried out under the 6th EU Framework Program in 2004-2008. Author and co-author: - "The monograph of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. - 4th edition "; over a dozen articles in the field of mechanical rock mining, the use of flotation waste in mining technologies, process innovations in the copper industry, revitalization of post-industrial facilities in the mining industry. Originator and author or co-author of the following KGHM projects: - "Virtual Museum of KGHM"; - "Concept for the development of the post-mining area" Obora "in conjunction with other industrial facilities of KGHM, - The concept of revitalization of the last mine of the Old Copper Belt, "Lubichów". The originator and initiator of establishing the Revimine Revitalization Foundation in KGHM.

Louis Guay (Viridis Terra International)

Formerly a Canadian and United Nations diplomat, a former Canadian Ambassador to Gabon, a former Coordinator for CSR in the Americas, Mediator in West Africa and Sudan, Project Manager of a large integrated (turn-key) technical school (6 schools) network project ($200 million) in Cameroun, in the 80s, and a Mining Executive in the Dominican Republic, Louis Guay, since retiring from  the Canadian government, in 2011, doubled as a Consultant and as a Senior Fellow at Saint Paul University (Ottawa), where he dispensed a course on “Social Responsibility and Sustainable (Durable) Development”. In 2018, he became Chief Durability Officer for Viridis Terra International, a large-scale integrated Forest Landscape restoration company proposing an innovative viable watershed-based integrated development model, attractive to private investments, to sustainably produce commodities, carbon and biodiversity credits for the benefits of all concerned and not least of which the communities and the environment. His numerous long-term and short-term assignments to Latin America and Africa, various consulting services provided to companies, governments and civil society organisations and visits to countries in Latin America, Africa and Europe have repeatedly put him in direct contact with conflicts involving natural resources and socio-economic development. He has developed, as a result, a value-based development model, called “Integrated Social Responsibility” (ISR) which underscores the importance for the roles and contributions of three main families of stakeholders (public, private and plural sectors), in the socio-economic equation, to fully assume their responsibilities and in the pursuit, through effective partnerships, of durable (lasting and positive) developmental outcomes beneficial to all parties involved. He is now adding Forestry and Agroforestry and landscape restoration as innovative tools to contribute towards reaching such goals.

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Maryna Möhr (ESS)

Dr Maryna Möhr. Maryna has post-graduate qualifications in environmental management and business management. She served on the United Nations Expert Working Group for Environmental Management Accounting, and also represented South Africa on the International Standards Organisation workgroup for the development of the ISO 14051 standard on Material Flow Cost Accounting.  Maryna was Head of Department: Environmental Science at the Tshwane University of Technology, where after she served as environmental advisor at the Minerals Council SA (Chamber of Mines). She is a founding Director of Environmental Sustainability Solutions consultancy. Maryna is involved in developing and offering various training courses in efficient use of resources. The training courses include Carbon Management, Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production, Waste management and Efficient Water Management.  She is actively involved in various projects in the resource efficiency discipline. Other mining projects involve Water Use Licence applications, Environmental strategies, sustainability reports, Responsible Gold Mining Principles implementation and assurance.

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Kadi-Kaisa Kaljuveer

Former public interest lawyer and co-manager of the Estonian Environmental Law Center (from 2015 to 2020) and current Regional Administration Department adviser at Estonian Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Estonia (since October 2020). Experienced adviser of the local community, individual citizens, civic organizations, and administrative body officials. As a result of long-term work, familiar with both national and international legislation regarding planning, in particular environmental matters. Currently responsible for advising chief specialists and administrative body officials in the field of planning, administrative supervision over the legality of administrative acts of local governments, and preparation of the Ministry's positions in cases related to spatial planning.

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