OPTIMINER Consortium Charts a Clear Path Forward During Online Month 6 Meeting

By Eleni Natsi, CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC)

Following the successful kick-off meeting in Athens hosted by project coordinator I-SENSEGroup/ICCS, the OPTIMINER consortium reconvened virtually for its Month 6 meeting to assess progress, align on next steps, and solidify plans for the months ahead.

This online session served as a comprehensive check-in on all project activities and demo cases, offering each partner the opportunity to present updates from the past six months and outline planning for the next phase. Central to the agenda was a detailed review of each Work Package (WP), highlighting both the methodologies applied and the specific milestones set for the remainder of the year.

As the meeting drew to a close, proposals from the Steering Committees were discussed and  the consortium outlined clear conclusions and key takeaways for all partners. Planning for the next six months was consolidated, with a focus on coordination between work packages, streamlined reporting, and enhanced communication across teams.

The wrap-up session emphasized continued alignment with OPTIMINER’s mission: advancing sustainable and digital mining operations in Europe through innovation, data-driven tools, and cross-sector collaboration.

Stay tuned for more updates as the project continues to evolve!

OPTIMINER project kicks off in Athens to advance sustainable mining

By Eleni Natsi, CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC)

The OPTIMINER project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting in Athens, Greece, hosted by coordinator I-SENSE Group/ICCS. The event brought together 21 partners from 8 countries to align on goals and strategy for this ambitious initiative aimed at revolutionising Europe’s mining sector.

OPTIMINER focuses on the sustainable and efficient recovery of critical raw materials (CRMs) like magnesium, tungsten, neodymium, copper, and cobalt through five innovative modules: REMINER, DIGIMINER, ECOMINER, DEMOMINER, and GLOBEMINER. These cover everything from AI-powered CRM recovery and smart digital monitoring to real-world pilots and global outreach.

With a €7.29 million budget over four years, OPTIMINER will combine advanced technologies and real-use case implementations across Europe and Chile to support greener, more resilient mining practices.

Dive into more details about this exciting project in this blog post by one of our consortium partners, CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC).