The ISMC Cluster incorporates ITA as a strategic partner to advance the digitalisation and sustainability of the critical raw materials sector
Zaragoza, 20 June 2025 – The Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) has officially welcomed the Aragon Institute of Technology (ITA) as a new strategic partner. This alliance strengthens ISMC’s commitment to digitalisation, sustainability, and technological innovation in the field of critical raw materials.
A key step towards the mining of the future
The membership, formalised during a ceremony at ITA’s headquarters in Zaragoza, marks a milestone in the development of a resilient and innovative industrial ecosystem in the Iberian Peninsula. Santiago Cuesta López, ISMC’s Managing Director, underlined the importance of fostering a sustainable, technologically advanced, and socially accepted mining industry as a cornerstone of Europe’s energy and digital transition.
“We need robust industrial ecosystems, where sustainable mining becomes a driver for territorial cohesion and competitiveness,” Cuesta López stated.
Innovation and collaboration to tackle global challenges
ITA brings cutting-edge expertise to the cluster in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, sensing systems, digital twins, and automation—technologies that are essential to address both present and future challenges in the critical raw materials sector. ITA’s General Director, Esther Borao, emphasised the value of this collaboration:
“We are delighted to join ISMC and contribute our technological know-how to tackle sector challenges and foster innovation. At ITA, we believe that global issues such as the critical raw materials crisis, energy transition and digital transformation require bold, collaborative technological solutions.”
Both organisations share a common vision: the need to promote a mining model that is more efficient, environmentally responsible, and aligned with the principles of circular economy and sustainability.
Building an innovation ecosystem with European impact
ITA’s addition to ISMC strengthens a cooperative model based on the quadruple helix: science, industry, government, and society. This synergy fosters the development of smart, sustainable territories, capable of attracting investment, generating skilled employment, and consolidating strategic value chains across Europe.
During the event, leadership teams from both organisations held a strategic meeting to outline the first steps of their collaboration. From ISMC, attendees included Managing Director Santiago Cuesta López, Technical Coordinator Laura Quijano, and Institutional Relations Coordinator Patricia Núñez. Representing ITA were General Director Esther Borao and Business Development Manager David Díez.