Critical raw materials (CRMs) are economically and strategically important for the European economy but have a high risk associated with their supply. In many instances, CRM primary extraction is limited to a few locations outside of Europe. To achieve a transition toward a decarbonised world, secondary raw materials (SRMs) need to play an increasing role and help to diversify the supply sources of CRMs.

FutuRaM, a Horizon Europe funded project, is establishing a methodology, reporting structure, and guidance to improve the raw materials knowledge base up to 2050. It will integrate SRM and CRM data to model the current stocks and flows, and further develop, demonstrate and align SRM recovery projects with the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for Resources to enable the commercial exploitation of SRMs and CRMs by manufacturers, recyclers, and investors. FutuRaM will focus on six waste streams: batteries; electrical and electronic equipment; vehicles; mining; slags and ashes; and construction and demolition. 

Consortium meeting and a guided site visit at BRGM’s head office in Orléans

Last week, FutuRaM partners headed to BRGM's head office in Orléans for the project’s fourth consortium meeting.

Over 70 people participated in the three-day meeting in person and online, with the sessions designed for a high level of interaction to benefit from most of the attendees being gathered together. Amongst other things, the meeting aimed to initiate the development of the waste stream datasets. Project partners also discussed the questions of data sources for the waste stocks & flows and composition and plotted scenarios for waste streams based on detailed and specific parameters. 

The interactive discussions included creative workshops on FutuRaM waste streams led by Kirsten Remmen from Empa, Giulia Iattoni and Tales Yamamoto from United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Nathalie Korf from TU Berlin, and Stewart Charles McDowall from Universiteit Leiden.

Finally, the first walkthrough of the UNFC webtool as well as the FutuRaM Secondary Raw Materials Knowledge Base were presented to the entire consortium.

Council and Parliament strike provisional deal to reinforce the supply of critical raw materials

The European Parliament and Council of the European Union reached deal on the Critical Raw Materials Act on 13 November 2023.

The provisional agreement keeps the benchmarks of 10% for extraction of raw materials and 40% for processing within the EU, but increases the benchmark for recycling from 15% to at least 25% of the EU’s annual consumption of raw materials. In addition, there should be substantial increase in the recovery of raw materials present in waste.

FutuRaM will establish a methodology, reporting structure, and guidance to improve the secondary raw materials knowledge base up to 2050 and therefore addresses several points highlighted by the Act:

• It will assess the feasibility of recovering CRMs from six key waste streams;
• It supports reporting of CRMs in products and components;
• It will help to assess the technological maturity of recycling technologies for CRMs;
• It will model the CRM’s recovery potential.

We are now further examining the requirements of the Act and look forward to working together with the European Commission and project partners to support its ambitious goals.

FutuRaM project presented at Ecomondo

On behalf of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and SCYCLE - Sustainable Cycles, Vanessa Forti and  Giulia Iattoni represented the FutuRaM project funded by European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) at Ecomondo in Rimini.

HaDEA took part in Ecomondo for the first time and FutuRaM was invited to this exceptional occasion to present its ambitious goals and project results to date. It served as an excellent opportunity to discuss synergies with other EU funded projects and extend its network in Italy.

FutuRaM at WRF'23

At the beginning of September, FutuRaM partners headed to Geneva to deliver two workshops at World Resources Forum 2023.

Kirsten Remmen from Empa and Susanne Rotter from TU Berlin ran an interactive session on “Enabling Secondary Raw Materials Management by Data Governance.”  The workshop explored the regulatory framework that will influence the project. Digging deeper into the matter, they presented the composition data concept of FutuRaM and applied it to an example of aluminium.

During the two- and a half-day event, attendees were also welcomed at the project’s dedicated stand showcasing mining waste samples from floatation tailings, red mud dumps, and smelter slags. The samples covering most of the Balkan region were kindly delivered by the Geological Survey of Slovenia while the Geological Survey of Finland displayed samples from Otanmäki Mine Oy. The stand prompted discussions from across the world with its collection of over 15 samples and guided them towards the joint session of FutuRaM experts discussing “Critical Raw Material Availability in Historic Mining Waste” in Sweden (Erika Ingvald, SGU), Finland (Teemu Karlsson, GTK), France (Daniel C. Monfort, BRGM), and Slovenia (Jasminka Alijagić, GeoZS). 

One question asked in the panel discussion was whether mining waste could provide all the critical raw materials the EU requires and there was a mixed response from the experts, with some answering a resolute ‘yes’ and others more reserved in their response, pointing out the many difficulties with access, permissions and economics, that would need to be addressed to achieve this.

Meet Our Researchers

FutuRaM involves 28 partners (associations, companies, universities) and over 100 experts from different scientific and technical fields covering six waste streams: batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, mining; slags and ashes, and construction and demolition. Our researchers often engage in passionate conversations across their fields and most importantly about the relevance of this project.

Their knowledge and energy makes FutuRaM what it is and in this edition, we are pleased to introduce you to:

• Daniel Climent Monfort from BRGM
• Stewart C. McDowall from Leiden University
• Danting Chen from University College London
• Kirsten Stewart from Empa
• Nathalie Korf from TU Berlin

Follow FutuRaM on LinkedIn and Twitter and get to know our researchers first hand! 

FutuRaM at GeoBerlin

The discussion at GeoBerlin in September 2023 revolved around the question of whether a generally applicable classification of resources is needed. The presentations touched upon the requirements of practitioners, the point of view of the next generation, and the needs regarding primary and secondary raw materials. The event was chaired by FutuRaM researchers from TU Berlin, Antje Wittenberg and Soraya Heuss-Aßbichler and included presentations from project partners the Geological Survey of Slovenia, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).

Programme

• From boring needs to cool tools by Christian Masurenko, ECTerra
• Aspects of sustainability through inclusive resource management by Bianca Derya Neumann, UNECE Resource Management Young Member Group
• An international EU Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Resource Management in support of UNRMS by Meta Dobnikar, GeoZS - Geological Survey of Slovenia
• Developing a novel web tool for assessing material recovery and recycling projects in line with UNFC by Iman Dorri, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, FutuRaM project
• UNFC – a tool the scientific community should be aware of by Antje Wittenberg, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), FutuRaM project
• The result of “Aluminium is Now Critical – Enabling UNFC-Compliant Classification for a German Aluminium Scrap Recovery Project” by Marina von Vietinghoff from Technische Universität Berlin

Join the FutuRaM Stakeholder Network 

A crucial part of the FutuRaM project will be the input of stakeholders from all parts of the value chain. The project needs to be in touch with interested individuals and organisations to get their input on the many facets of the work it is undertaking. If you are involved in work on any of the focus waste streams, have an interest in CRMs and SRMs, would like to share your thoughts and experiences on the application of the UNFC for Resources methodology, or work in relevant areas of data, statistics, or investment, then we would be grateful for your input. It may be that you only want to keep in touch.