The European Union (EU) aims to reduce its dependence on a few countries for critical raw materials needed in sectors like e-mobility, batteries, and renewable energy. To achieve self-sufficiency, the EU is focusing on exploring and mining these resources in its own territory, even if they’re by-products of other mining activities. This shift requires innovative exploration methods and tools.

To address these challenges, 13 EU-funded raw materials projects, along with the University of Queensland, are organizing the “European Union SuperCluster Lapland Geoconference” in Rovaniemi, Finland, on October 30th and 31st, 2023. The event aims to bring together stakeholders, including the European Commission, regional authorities, industry representatives, and exploration companies, to discuss technological challenges in the raw materials sector.

The SuperCluster event precedes the 14th Fennoscandian Exploration and Mining (FEM) 2023 conference in Levi, Finland, which is one of Europe’s largest mining industry events. The SuperCluster event is expected to have around 100 participants, with a focus on EU-funded projects. The conference offers oral sessions, poster presentations, and discussions, with no keynote talks, and it’s free of charge, including lunches and a conference dinner for registered participants.

More information can be found here.