The GI-mine initiative addresses one of Europe’s most persistent mining challenges: the legacy footprint of abandoned mines, tailings, and contaminated land, which covers 1.2–1.5 million hectares across the EU. Instead of seeing these areas as liabilities, GI-mine redefines them as recoverable industrial ecosystems, integrating waste stabilization, material recovery, and land repurposing.
Using AI-assisted geochemical mapping, remote sensing, and selective treatment technologies, GI-mine identifies recoverable metals, aggregates, and stable material streams. Pilot studies indicate that 10–20% of legacy tailings can be reclassified as secondary raw materials, reducing lifecycle closure costs by 25–40%. Post-mining land can then support renewable energy projects, logistics hubs, or light industrial zones, generating economic and environmental value simultaneously.
H2loop: On-Site Hydrogen Production for Steel Decarbonization
H2loop tackles hydrogen supply constraints in European steelmaking by converting metallurgical off-gases into on-site hydrogen. Blast furnace, basic oxygen, and coke oven gases—currently burned for low-value heat—are transformed into hydrogen via chemical looping technology, capturing CO₂ for storage or utilization.
-
Hydrogen yields: 30–50 kg per tonne of steel, up to 250,000 tonnes/year for a mid-size plant
-
Levelized cost: €2–3/kg H₂, less than half the cost of electrolysis
-
CAPEX: €150–250 million per installation, far below €1.5–2 billion for full hydrogen-DRI conversion
H2loop reduces emissions by 20–30% without requiring complete plant redesign, enabling a transitional decarbonization pathway for Central and Eastern Europe while lowering exposure to volatile hydrogen imports.
illuMINEation: Creating a Digital Nervous System for European Mines
illuMINEation delivers real-time visibility and control across underground mining environments, deploying dense IIoT sensor networks across tunnels, equipment, and geotechnical structures. Sensor densities exceed 1,000 nodes per km², with sub-second response times.
-
Predictive maintenance reduces unplanned downtime by 30–45%
-
OPEX savings: €5–12 per tonne
-
Safety improvements: faster detection of hazards reduces accidents and insurance costs
This digital backbone enables remote supervision, partial teleoperation, and ESG-compliant reporting, transforming underground mines into auditable, high-efficiency industrial systems.
I2Mine: Precision, Autonomous Deep Mining
I2Mine tackles Europe’s geologically complex deep deposits, applying high-precision, selective extraction with autonomous machinery and real-time ore sensing. This approach reduces dilution by 50–70%, cutting energy, water, and reagent use while extending mine life by 10–25%.
-
Modular CAPEX: €80–150 million for initial units
-
Energy savings: 15–25% per tonne of ore
-
Strategic metals recovered: copper, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, polymetallic ores
I2Mine reframes deep mining as a precision industrial process, unlocking previously uneconomic deposits and supporting Europe’s strategic raw materials independence.
Persephone: Autonomous Drilling for Deep Mineral Exploration
Persephone reduces the cost and risk of deep hard-rock exploration with autonomous drilling rigs and AI-driven subsurface intelligence. Continuous real-time data compresses learning cycles from weeks to hours, lowering drilling costs by €60–100 per meter and unplanned downtime by 40–50%.
-
Reduces on-site personnel by 30–50%
-
Improves geological resolution 3–5x, increasing discovery success
-
Expands Europe’s addressable mineral inventory without new geology
By lowering exploration barriers, Persephone accelerates bankable feasibility, enabling downstream investments in extraction, processing, and refining.
Robominers: Modular Robotics for Small, Complex Deposits
Robominers leverages bio-inspired robotics to access small, high-grade, difficult-to-mine deposits, turning overlooked resources into micro-production assets.
-
CAPEX per module: €5–15 million
-
OPEX reduction: €20–40 per tonne
-
Minimal environmental footprint: land disturbance reduced up to 90%
Robominers enables distributed resource exploitation, aligning with Europe’s strategic and industrial goals while offering faster payback and lower risk for investors.
Unexmin: Autonomous Exploration of Flooded Mines
Unexmin targets Europe’s abandoned and flooded underground mines, deploying autonomous underwater robots equipped with sonar, 3D scanning, and water chemistry sensors.
-
Cost savings: 80–90% lower than traditional dewatering
-
Creates high-resolution 3D mine models
-
Enables proactive environmental monitoring and reduces long-term liabilities
This technology converts stranded assets into data-rich opportunities, improving optionality for critical metals like copper, nickel, and cobalt.
XTRACT: Designing the Zero-Emission Mine
XTRACT integrates extraction, energy, material handling, and processing into a low-carbon operating model for Europe’s mining sector. Key innovations:
-
Full electrification of underground equipment reduces diesel emissions and ventilation demand by 40–50%
-
Integration with renewables and energy storage lowers energy costs and stabilizes margins
-
Lifecycle CO₂ reductions: 60–80%
-
Total OPEX savings: €150–300 million over 15–20 years
XTRACT redefines mining as a digitally optimized, zero-emission industrial system, improving social license, permitting timelines, and access to sustainable finance.
