Under Scientific-Technical Objectives, the project focused on developing and prototyping innovative Earth Observation (EO) data analysis methods to support different stages of the mining life cycle. The project delivered 20 new or updated methods—significantly surpassing the 14 methods originally planned—and successfully prototyped nine EO-based services along with 22 tailored products, compared to the 3 initially foreseen.
Also, the project generated high-value open datasets addressing hazardous mining sites and raw material deposits. A total of 50 new datasets were produced across six pilot sites, far exceeding the planned range of 6 to 13. These datasets were made openly available in long-term repositories, ensuring their future use in research. Scientific publications based on these results are currently underway and are being tracked through dissemination and exploitation indicators.
The Economic Objectives aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and added value of these new non-invasive EO-based methods and services in real mining contexts. Validation activities, as detailed in Deliverable D5.2 (May 2025), confirmed both their technical feasibility and economic benefits. The methods proved highly effective, for example, in the accurate detection of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), successful deposit mapping, and reliable monitoring of ground instabilities. Beyond technical performance, the results also showed tangible impacts, including cost reductions, improvements in environmental outcomes, and enhanced stakeholder engagement. The validation phase highlighted the need for future efforts to focus on scaling these solutions, refining AI models, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration to ensure sustainable mining practices.
The Societal-Policy objectives addressed the broader perception of mining, sustainability, and digitalisation, sought to improve how mining is perceived among society, industry, policymakers, and activists. Through the contributions of WP6, supported by WP2 and WP5, the project engaged in communication, dissemination, and stakeholder outreach, validated by Deliverable D6.2 (June 2025). These activities helped raise public awareness of non-invasive mining technologies and fostered greater collaboration between stakeholders. This objective also focused on promoting sustainability and digitalisation best practices, with an emphasis on workforce upskilling, greening the mining sector, and informing new science-based policies. Two community workshops, held in Ljubljana (October 2024) and Vigo (June 2025), supported these objectives by sharing experiences, stimulating interregional collaboration, and strengthening digital expertise among stakeholders. WP2 further provided recommendations for systematic technology use and policy updates in EO and remote sensing for the extractive sector. Deliverables D2.1 D6.2 and D6.4 confirmed progress against key indicators related to digitalisation, the green transition, raw materials supply, sustainability, and capacity building.
