ISMC and the Spanish Space Agency join forces to boost sustainable mining exploration
The Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) is strengthening its leadership in mining innovation through pioneering European projects such as GAIA-TSF, which employs non-invasive technologies, satellite observation and artificial intelligence.
The rise of Artificial Intelligence applied to mining has accelerated the development of new methods of exploration and monitoring. ISMC is involved in flagship European initiatives such as GAIA-TSF, S34I, DEXPLORE and TERRAVISION, which are paving the way towards more digital, efficient and sustainable geological exploration. To move forward with these challenges, the cluster counts on the collaboration of leading organisations such as the Spanish Space Agency, a key national body for technological development, industrial innovation and space research.
Stakeholder Workshop in Seville: a strategic meeting
Within the framework of the GAIA-TSF project, the focus is on monitoring tailings storage facilities (TSF) using satellites and AI algorithms, with the strategic support of various European and African partners.
On 10 September 2025, Seville hosted the GAIA-TSF Stakeholder Workshop, a landmark event where ISMC brought together representatives from the mining sector, public administrations, and academic and technological institutions.
The opening session was led by Álvaro Serrano, President of ISMC, and Dr., Dr. HC Santiago Cuesta-López, Managing Director of ISMC, who presented the project’s strategic vision and its role in the future supply of critical raw materials in Europe.
The Spanish Space Agency was represented by Nicolás Martín, Director of Users, Services and Applications.
International experts in digital and sustainable mining
A lo largo de la jornada, destacados especialistas compartieron experiencias y casos de éxito:
Throughout the day, leading specialists shared experiences and success stories:
Dr Feven Desta (TU Delft): management of tailings storage facilities.
Dr Laura Quijano (ISMC): best practices in non-invasive monitoring.
Dr Louis Andreani (CYBELE), Dr Tomás Boucek (CTU), Dr Ahsan Mahboob and Dr Mulundumina Shimaponda-Nawa (WITS): applications of satellite remote sensing, machine learning and emerging technologies in TSF monitoring.
A round table brought together key voices from the ecosystem:
Manuel Vázquez Mora, Technical Mining Advisor, Directorate General of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Andalusian Regional Government.
Sergio Tenorio, Senior Exploration and Resources Geologist at Tharsis Mining.
Koldo Sánchez, Mine Manager at Mina Sotiel (Sandfire MATSA).
Dr Rafael del Hoyo & Clara Balbín (TERRAVISION EU Project).
In parallel, the sustainable recovery of mining waste was addressed, with contributions from:
Virginia Rodríguez, Deputy Scientific Director, Department of Geological Resources for the Ecological Transition at IGME-CSIC: recovery of critical raw materials in Spain.
Juan Manuel Pons, Manager of Avalonia Minería y Obra Civil: practical cases in Andalusia.
Networking and the future of sustainable mining
The event concluded with a networking session and poster exhibition, consolidating GAIA-TSF’s objective: to strengthen collaboration between the mining industry and the Spanish Space Agency in developing exploration and monitoring methodologies based on Earth observation.
With this workshop, ISMC reaffirms its commitment to safer, more sustainable and digitalised mining, aligned with the challenges of the energy transition and the responsible supply of raw materials in Europe.