On 16 and 17 June 2026, the DEXPLORE consortium gathered in Oviedo for two important project milestones: the first Review Meeting, covering the initial 18 months of implementation, and the clustering event “Exploring Together: From Deep Exploration to Responsible Exploitation of Critical Raw Materials”.
The second day (17 June 2026) was devoted to the clustering event “Exploring Together: From Deep Exploration to Responsible Exploitation of Critical Raw Materials”, which brought together representatives from European research and innovation projects, academia, industry and the wider raw materials community.
The event created a space for technical exchange, dialogue and collaboration around the key challenges and opportunities arising along the pathway from mineral exploration to responsible exploitation.
Presentations and round-table discussions addressed topics including:
- Advanced technologies for deep mineral exploration
- Earth Observation, UAVs and geophysical investigation methods
- Digital platforms, data integration and decision-support tools
- Environmental and social responsibility
- Stakeholder engagement and public acceptance
- Collaboration and synergies among European projects
- The transition from innovative research results to industrial application
The discussions demonstrated the value of multidisciplinary approaches and the need for stronger cooperation across the entire raw materials value chain. Participants also reflected on how scientific excellence, technological innovation and stakeholder engagement can contribute to strengthening Europe’s resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
DEXPLORE would like to express its sincere appreciation to all speakers, panellists, moderators and participants for sharing their expertise and contributing to the quality of the discussions.
A collaborative effort
The clustering event was jointly organised by the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) and the ICAMCyL Foundation, with the valuable support of TerraDat and MINERSA. The DEXPLORE consortium also extends its gratitude to the University of Oviedo for hosting both events and providing an excellent setting for discussion, knowledge exchange and collaboration.
The consortium now looks forward to continuing its work and translating DEXPLORE’s innovative technologies into impactful solutions for a more efficient, sustainable and responsible European mineral exploration sector.
Let’s keep exploring together.
If you would like to access the clustering event content, you can download the presentations via the following links:
- Critical RawMaterials Funding in Horizon Europe – Ugo Simeoni (HADEA, European Commission)
- From Exploration to Exploitation: European Pathways and Barriers for CRM Projects – Dr. Fernando Tornos (CSIC – IGME)
- The MINERSA Fluorite District: An Industrial Testbed for Deep-Land CRM Exploration – Manuel Cueto (MINERSA)
- European CRM Exploration Pilots: Bridging Subsurface Data and Exploitation Decisions – Dr. Juan María Menendez Aguado (University of Oviedo)
- Earth Observation for mining exploration – Rafael del Hoyo Alonso (ITA and TERRAVISION Project)
- Strengthening Europe’s Strategic Autonomy: Titanium, Zirconium and Rare Earth Exploration in Jaén Under the Orion Critical Minerals Project – Gonzalo Roberto Mayoral Fernández (Osmond Resources / Green Mineral Resources)
- Digital Twins and Open Data Portals for CRM: Connecting Exploration Results with Policy and Planning Sustainable practices & responsible use – Elena Hidalgo (CETIM Technological Center Project)
- iSMART: Integrated Monitoring for Mining Operations – Irene Lopez Rodriguez (Global R&D ArcelorMittal)
- Virtual Centres for CRM: The WIDEX Platform as a Shared Home for Pilots, Data Stories and Training – Dr. Juraj Janocko, FBERG TUKE and WIDEX project
