CIRCULAR ECOLOGICAL ESSENTIAL & CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS

Research Project, 2022 – 2026

ROTATE's ambition is to tap the full potential of minerals extraction and processing in a sustainable and ecological way, developing the
needed technologies and tools for achieving zero emissions and pollution for essential and critical raw materials obtention and ensuring
a circular approach by implementing mechanisms for waste valorisation in the context of industrial symbiosis, especially reusing waste
as aggregates for the construction sector and also recovering secondary products. ROTATE'S GENERAL OBJECTIVE is to achieve
a near zero emissions and pollution obtention of raw materials, providing new tools for the mining industry in its journey to a more
sustainable and green mineral extraction. The solutions proposed in the project will allow to improve the cut-off grade while reducing the
environmental footprint of the whole process. The pilot demonstrations in mineral deposits with different paragenetic (minerals occurring
together in a rock, formed by the same genetic process during the same stage) profiles will ensure the replication of the technologies to a
wide variety of mining sites. To ensure EU?s lead on Critical Raw Materials access, the project is structured in three main interconnected
PILLARS providing technical solutions and three transversal FLOORS covering cross cutting issues, including clustering and social
acceptance. A series of technical Project Results of Pillars [PRP] and Project Results of Floors [PRF] will be delivered within the
ROTATE's framework. ROTATE's will deliver specific methods and/or technologies aiming to overcome the reluctance of social agents
to the exploitation of CRM deposits thanks to the environmental impact reduction achieved. This will result in an increase of the CRM
sites that could be exploited in a future, boosting the access of EU to strategic CRM and enabling the development of the Renewables,
e-mobility and Defence & Space sectors.