Critical Materials

The Strategic role of the Cluster in European Critical Raw Materials Policy

ISMC and its alignment with the EIP on Raw Materials

The ISMC Cluster is aligned with the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials, a strategic platform of the European Commission that brings together representatives from industry, the public sector, academia, and non-governmental organisations. Its mission is to provide high-level guidance to address key challenges related to the sustainable supply of critical raw materials in Europe.

The EIP on Raw Materials drives a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) that sets out concrete goals to foster mining innovation, research, and technological development. These actions include:

Promoting sustainable technologies for the extraction and processing of primary and secondary raw materials.
Disseminating good practices and improving regulatory frameworks.
Boosting international cooperation in the field of mineral resources.
Strengthening the EU knowledge and data base on raw materials.

Through the ICAMCyL Foundation, an active member of the EIP, the ISMC Cluster contributes directly to Europe’s strategic objectives by:

Developing innovative technologies for sustainable and efficient mining.
Pursuing substitute materials and circular solutions.
Generating strategic knowledge on European mineral resources.
Reinforcing mining diplomacy with third countries to ensure supply security.

Through this alignment, ISMC strengthens its commitment to a fair green and digital transition, integrating the Iberian mining sector into the European Union’s strategic priorities on sustainability, competitiveness, and industrial autonomy.

EIT RawMaterials and the European drive for innovation in Raw Materials

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an instrument of the European Commission that fosters leadership in innovation and enhances the European Union’s competitiveness in relation to the United States, Canada, and Japan. The organisation’s working strategy is based on so-called Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), which are public-private partnerships made up of research centres or universities and companies. Each Knowledge and Innovation Community comprises a transnational European network of four to six nodes, involving organisations from the three areas of the knowledge triangle: education, research, and innovation. EIT RawMaterials focuses on the sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling of raw materials. It has the ambitious vision of turning Europe’s raw material dependency challenge into a strategic strength. Its mission is to boost the competitiveness, growth, and attractiveness of the European raw materials sector through radical innovation and entrepreneurship. This KIC brings together multiple disciplines, diversity, and complementarity across all three sides of the knowledge triangle (business, education, and research) and throughout the entire raw materials value chain.

The strategic role of Critical Raw Materials in the european economy

Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) are essential resources for the economic, industrial, and technological development of the European Union, but they carry a high supply risk due to their geographical scarcity or external dependency. Their availability is crucial for strategic sectors such as the energy transition, advanced electronics, sustainable mobility, defence, aerospace, space exploration, and the medical industry.

These raw materials are indispensable not only for emerging technologies such as renewable energy, electric mobility, and microelectronics, but also for ensuring European strategic autonomy, maintaining industrial competitiveness, and safeguarding social well-being.

The European Critical Raw Materials Act provides the foundation for developing the EU’s capacities and strengthening the resilience of its critical raw material supply chains. It includes measures to:

Consolidate domestic supply chains
Strengthen international engagement by developing mutually beneficial partnerships with third countries

Members of the ISMC Cluster are actively engaged in the development, production, and efficient use of critical raw materials, including those used in high added-value innovative products. Their work contributes directly to enhancing the resilience of the European industrial system and advancing towards sustainable mining practices aligned with the goals of the European Green Deal.

Sustainable access to natural resources: a key factor for the European Union’s strategic resilience

Sustainable access to natural resources is a key factor in ensuring the strategic resilience of the European Union in the field of raw materials, particularly critical raw materials. To achieve supply security, it is essential to diversify sources—both primary and secondary—reduce dependency on third countries, and improve resource efficiency through sustainable design principles and circular economy practices. This need applies to all types of resources—from base metals, industrial minerals, and biotic materials to strategic raw materials—but becomes even more urgent in the case of those critical for the energy transition, digitalisation, and the EU’s industrial autonomy.

The Strategic role of the Cluster in European Critical Raw Materials Policy

ISMC and its alignment with the EIP on Raw Materials

EIT RawMaterials and the European drive for innovation in Raw Materials

The strategic role of Critical Raw Materials in the european economy

Sustainable access to natural resources: a key factor for the European Union’s strategic resilience

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COMPANIES

Technology Metals Europe S.L

COMPANIES

Seguridad y Calidad Mineroambiental S.L

Engineering and technical assistance company that develops projects, offers advice, training and research in the field of mining, environment and occupational risk prevention.

COMPANIES

Saloro S.L

COMPANIES

Cualificados S.L

Consulting, training and education services for companies and workforce, particularly for the mining and public works sectors, as well as for the public administration.

COMPANIES

Pizarras La Baña S.A.

COMPANIES

Pizarras Matacouta, S.A.

PIZARRAS MATACOUTA, S.A. The best natural slate since 1978. We are an industry specialized in cutting, carving and finishing natural stone. Pizarras Matacouta is a reference throughout Europe where it exports 95% of its exclusive product.

COMPANIES

Perforaciones Noroeste S.A

Service company dedicated to the execution of all types of drilling and blasting projects, both in the field of mining and quarrying and in civil works of public or private initiative.

COMPANIES

Peal Hispania S.A.U

Service company dedicated to the execution of all types of drilling and blasting projects, both in the field of mining and quarrying and in civil works of public or private initiative

COMPANIES

Pasek Minerales

PASEK MINERALS is a company dedicated to mining exploitation belonging to the PASEK Group, since 1972, it has an open-pit exploitation in the area of the Geological Complex of Cabo Ortegal (Galicia), dedicated to the exploitation of the Dunita mineral (Magnesium Silicate)

COMPANIES

Partindus S.L.

Manufacturer and exporter of civil engineering and mining machinery. One of the largest exporters of construction, tunnels and mining machinery.

COMPANIES

Mining Sense Global S.L.

Consulting for mineral resources; specialised advice on project planning, economic models and strategic decisions.

COMPANIES

Magellan Barents, S.L.

COMPANIES

Lurpelan Tunnelling S.L

Design, calculation and construction of underground infrastructure, as well as execution of all kinds of blasting projects. Participation in large strategic infrastructure projects.

COMPANIES

Lain Technologies, S.L

COMPANIES

Leonore Development S.L

Development and commercialisation of mining and trading projects for minerals, metals and products specialised in industrial metals, mainly iron.

COMPANIES

Kronergy

COMPANIES

Javier Madera García (Staub Ingeniería)

Consulting firm specialised in occupational risk prevention solutions. Among its customers are relevant national companies in several industrial sectors.

COMPANIES

IP Contrl S.L

firm for the mining safety administration and authorized control body for the inspection of mining waste facilities and rehabilitation of affected areas.

COLLABORATING ENTITIES

Instituto para la Competitividad Empresarialde Castilla y León

Institute attached to the Department of Economy and Finance of the Regional Government of Castilla y León focused on promoting the economic development and productivity of the region.

COMPANIES

Inproobras S.L

Inproobrasoffers specialised technical services to both public administrations and private companies in mining, environment, public works and safety.

COMPANIES

Ingeniería y Seguridad Minera de Baleares, S.L

Somos una empresa dedicada principalmente a la ingeniería y seguridad en minería, conformada por tres ingenieros que trabajan de manera coordinada y sinérgica, lo que permite incrementar el potencial de la empresa con el aporte diferenciado de cada miembro que la conforma.

COMPANIES

Hormigones del Sella, S.L

Belonging to the Candesa Group, we are one of the main groups dedicated to non-metallic open pit mining and its derivatives, with a powerful presence in the north-western quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula.

COMPANIES

GrupoHedisa Cor S.L

Business group whose industrial activity is oriented to two business units: the natural stone and construction sector, and engineering and manufacturing.

Collaborating entities

Grupode Investigación TEP222de la Universidad de Jaén

Research group belonging to the University of Jaén whose main lines of research are advanced materials, construction materials, geological-mining heritage, materials engineering and innovation.

COMPANIES

Global de Asesoramiento y Aplicación Técnica, S.L

COMPANIES

Gevora Construcciones, S.A

GÉVORA is an activity oriented towards the construction of infrastructure, renewable energy projects, solid waste, water purification and treatment as well as the conservation and exploitation of large quarries.

COMPANIES

Gesminle S.L

Instituto para la Competitividad Empresarial
de Castilla y León

Ingeniería
y Seguridad Minera
de Baleares, S.L

Grupo
Hedisa Cor S.L

Grupo
de Investigación TEP222
de la Universidad de Jaén

Global de Asesoramiento
y Aplicación Técnica, S.L

Escuela Politécnica Superior
de Ingeniería
de Manresa

Equipos para minería
y construcciones S.A

Confederación Nacional
de Empresarios
de la Minería
y la Metalurgia

Colegio Oficial
de Ingenieros
de Minas del Centro de España

Cinclus Soluciones
S.L