Multi-Stakeholder Platform for Secure Supply of Refractory Metals in Europe (MSP-REFRAM)

Research Project, 2016 – 2017

Refractory metals (tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, molybdenum and niobium) are highly strategic metals today mainly imported from a few countries. The European primary production remains below a few percentage. However, resources exist in Europe, as primary resources but mainly as secondary resources (industrial waste, urban mines). Valorizing these resources requires coordination and networking between researchers, entrepreneurs and public authorities to harmonise technologies, processes and services, develop standards, create new potential for export of eco-innovative solutions and for seizing new markets.

MSP-REFRAM will address these challenges by creating of a common multi-stakeholder platform that will draw the current refractory metals value chains and identify its innovation potential in order to support the implementation of the EIP on Raw Materials. Coming from industry, research, public sectors and civil society, both Consortium Members and External Experts have joined forces with expertise covering the whole value chain including mining, processing, recycling, application.
The outputs of MSP-REFRAM will help Europe improve the supply value chain of refractory metals in the coming years, optimising the use of external resources as energy and water and at the same time reducing the amount and the toxicity of waste.
MSP-REFRAM will share its conclusions widely and efficiently, in a long lasting way thanks to the support of the PROMETIA association. To ensure the systemic change, the outcomes of the project will be made available to the stakeholders and to the public through different tools and reports.

In the medium term, MSP-REFRAM will contribute to better-informed decision-making at EU and national level as well as industry by proposing innovative value chains that will boost the refractory metals sector. In the longer term, this should improve the availability of these refractory metals, while creating greater added value to the economy and more jobs.