At ReSoURCE, we had the privilege of attending the EIT Raw Materials Summit in Brussels, where we participated in a dedicated Crowdhelix workshop alongside three other projects funded under the same call. “Accelerating the Adoption of Circular Strategies in the Raw Materials and Steel Industries” was moderated by Susana Xarà, the projects’ advisor, which delved into the key strategies and innovations necessary for advancing the circular economy and the recovery of raw materials.

The collaboration and insights shared were valuable, highlighting the collective effort required to drive sustainable practices in these critical industries. Our participation at the summit allowed us to engage with leading experts and peers who share our vision for a circular and resource-efficient future.

Highlights from the Crowdhelix Workshop

The first session featured an enlightening interview with Peter Tom Jones, who underscored the pressing need for an integrated and harmonized Industrial Green Deal. He emphasized the importance of adapting industrial practices to develop green technologies, which are essential for achieving climate neutrality. Peter Tom Jones highlighted that critical raw materials are vital for clean technologies and can be mined responsible within Europe, ensuring a sustainable supply chain.

In the second session, the EU-funded projects, Hephaestus, Rotate, RawMina and ReSoURCE, shared their insights, technologies, and expected impacts. Each project presented their objectives and showcased innovative technologies aimed at the groundbreaking approaches to recover raw materials. This session provided a comprehensive overview of how these projects are contributing to the circular economy and sustainable development.

Roundtable discussions: Circular Strategies and Industrial Synergies

The last part of the workshop consisted in roundtable discussions. This concluded with engaging discussions on circular strategies, industrial synergies, and transformative industrial practices. It has been a valuable experience great for engaging in meaningful conversations to provide takeaways at the societal, environmental and innovation levels.  We were successful at engaging the audience and creating new connections for the future exploitation of the projects’ outcomes.

About the Raw Materials Summit

The EIT Raw Materials Summit is the largest and most active raw materials knowledge and innovation network, with 300 partner organizations spanning the entire race materials value chain and promoting the circular economy. The goal is to make Europe future proof and to secure the strategic raw materials supply necessary to deliver the Green Deal. As Europe requires large amounts of raw materials for the production of clean technologies, ensuring the supply of critical raw materials within the continent is key.

This event brought together the European Commission, EU member states and international leaders and policymakers, global industry leaders, financial institutions, start-ups, innovators, researchers, academics, and civil society organizations. Several panel sessions led to thought-provoking discussions, featuring insights from more than 65 speakers comprising industry and policy leaders and innovators, and nearly 1,000 attendees.