RELiEF Workshop “UnEarthing our common future. Mining recycling waste, Remining on old heaps or tailings”

On 29 March 2025, the RELiEF project organised a workshop at the Environmental Interpretation Center in the city of Viseu, Portugal, to disseminate the results of the project. The title of the workshop was "UnEarthing our common future. Mining recycling waste, Remining on old heaps or tailings.” This event brought together colleagues from partners Pegmatitica and TechConcepts, who presented their work done within the context of the RELiEF project. Alexandra Carolino of Pegmatitica organised the workshop and emphasised the important aspect of remining in the sector. She highlighted the importance of remining as a valuable source of critical raw materials, particularly lithium, essential for Europe's green and digital transitions.

Dr. Patil's (TechConcepts) presentation focused on two key areas. First, he provided an overview of the RELiEF project, with a particular emphasis on the recycling of lithium from secondary raw material sources, highlighting the project's role in promoting circularity and reducing dependency on primary mining. Secondly, he shared insights from the interactive session held during the “UnEarth the Future… From mining to recycling: The future of mineral resources” workshop, organised by the RELiEF project in December 2024 as part of the GeoConversa series at the University of Aveiro. This session, led by TechConcepts, aimed to capture the perspectives of researchers, students, and industry professionals on the European regulatory landscape concerning battery recycling and critical raw materials, offering valuable input for shaping future policy and innovation directions.

The presentation underscored the critical importance of enhancing the skill set across Europe to meet the ambitious goals of the Green Deal and the Net Zero Industrial Act. Developing a workforce equipped with the necessary knowledge and technical expertise is essential for driving innovation, supporting sustainable industries, and ensuring a successful transition to a climate-neutral economy.

This presentation was followed by two additional talks delivered by project collaborators involved in the mapping and advanced topography tasks. Eng. Elisabete Soares and Eng. André Sá from the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda - located closest to Mine C-057- presented an update on their recent work. Their presentation focused on optimised approaches for environmental replacement planning after the void-filling phase, including strategies for effective soil absorption and techniques for monitoring moisture content and other key parameters. These insights are essential for ensuring responsible land restoration and long-term environmental sustainability at former mining sites. The identification of mineral masses more subtly evasive to the environment even in mining heaps through new technology (satellite and drone). New available courses highlighting those involving a Romanian University: UNITA - Universitas Montium, were also spotlighted.

To conclude the session, Alexandra Carolino shed light on the often-overlooked practice of remining, particularly stressing its potential within the circular economy. She pointed out that although lithium concentrations in old waste heaps - some more than 25 years old - are relatively low, they represent a valuable secondary resource that has largely been neglected. In addition to technical insights, she emphasised the critical importance of maintaining high standards of safety and hygiene in mining operations, along with upholding ethical conduct among professionals in the sector. Notably, she also highlighted the evolving and essential role of women in mining, advocating for greater gender inclusion and representation in the industry.

The day concluded with a visit to the Environmental Interpretation Center, offering participants a deeper understanding of the region’s ecological context and the importance of sustainable resource management.