The Spanish newspaper El Correo de Andalucía has recently published an article analysing the growing role of Andalusia as a strategic region for industrial development linked to critical raw materials in Europe. In this context, the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) plays a key role in promoting investment, innovation and European cooperation from southern Europe.

At a time when European strategic autonomy has become a priority, regions with mining tradition and industrial capacity such as Andalusia are gaining increasing relevance in the emerging European raw materials value chain.

From its institutional headquarters in Seville, ISMC coordinates a network connecting industry, technology and knowledge, strengthening southern Europe’s position within the European raw materials ecosystem.

A growing industrial ecosystem

The 2025 activity report reflects the consolidation and expansion of the cluster as a cooperation and innovation platform for the mining and raw materials sector.

During that year, ISMC mobilised more than €6.5 million in direct investment for its member organisations and managed €2.43 million in projects, mainly European initiatives related to:

• industrial innovation

• sustainability

• circular economy

• social acceptance of mining

In total, the cluster has participated in 28 European, national and regional projects, with 19 currently ongoing and 9 completed, representing an overall associated funding volume close to €97.5 million.

Andalusian organisations and companies such as AMINER, Atalaya Mining, Tharsis Mining, Qualifica2 and Cubicoff Ingeniería Abierta actively contribute to this collaborative network, strengthening the region’s position within the European raw materials landscape.

As highlighted by Santiago Cuesta López, Director General of ISMC:

“Industrial development linked to critical raw materials requires prepared territories with strong industrial ecosystems, technical expertise and strategic vision. Andalusia brings all these elements together and has the potential to become a reference hub in southern Europe.”

PERMANET: European innovation with regional impact

One of the most relevant initiatives within this strategy is PERMANET, a European project with nearly €16 million in funding and a duration of 40 months.

Its objective is to secure a resilient European supply of rare earth permanent magnets, essential components for strategic sectors such as:

• electric mobility

• renewable energy

• advanced manufacturing

The project addresses the entire value chain, from sustainable extraction and recycling of rare earths to the industrial production and validation of permanent magnets.

It also includes the development and scaling of 13 technological innovations to pre-industrial levels, with demonstrations carried out in real operational environments.

For Andalusia, initiatives like PERMANET represent a strategic opportunity to integrate into Europe’s emerging critical materials value chain.

Roadmap 2026: more Europe, more industry, more territory

Looking ahead to 2026, ISMC aims to strengthen its international strategy by increasing its participation in European projects and expanding its industrial and technological partnerships.

Andalusia will remain central to this strategy due to its role as:

• the institutional headquarters of the cluster

• a region with strong mining and industrial heritage

• a territory capable of fostering public–private partnerships around critical raw materials

In today’s geopolitical landscape, where mineral resources are increasingly linked to economic competitiveness, southern Spain is no longer peripheral.

It is becoming a strategic platform connecting territory, industry and Europe within a shared framework of growth, innovation and sustainability.