Project duration and partners

2023 to 2026 - EU, Horizon Europe

Project description

Europe's industry and economy depend on secure access to many raw materials. In 2020, the European Commission updated its list of critical non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials based on the scarcity of supply and importance to European industry. Today, the list includes antimony, fluorspar, magnesium, silicon metal, barium, gallium, natural graphite, tantalum, bauxite, germanium, natural rubber, titanium, beryllium, hafnium, niobium, vanadium, bismuth, rare earths, PGMs, tungsten, borates, indium, phosphate rock, strontium, cobalt, lithium, phosphorus, coking coal and scandium.

Ensuring sustainable access to raw materials is of great importance to the EU economy. However, the EU faces a number of technological and environmental challenges along the entire production value chain of primary and secondary raw materials. NetHelix demonstrates in a real-world environment a toolbox of new technologies to automate and streamline the extraction process, exploit mineral and waste deposits through novel processing methods, maximise efficiency, reduce waste production and improve environmental and human health and safety.

Project objectives

• Development and validation of NetHelix green, remote and automated machines for the mining industry in the EU.
• Development and demonstration of novel health and safety sensors for mining.
• Development and demonstration of a predictive
• maintenance platform.
• Development of an advanced DSS to reduce resource requirements and increase production yield in mining.
• Development and demonstration of novel and sustainable mineral extraction systems.
• Validation of NetHelix solutions at multiple pilot sites through 4 different validation scenarios (use cases).
• Commercial exploitation of NetHelix through advanced business models for the mining industry.

Nelson Macamo

TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Institute of Mining and Special Civil Engineering
Chair for Underground Mining Methods

Research and Training Mine "Reiche Zeche"
Fuchsmühlenweg 9
09599 Freiberg

+49 3731 39-2943
Nelson [dot] Macamo [at] mabb [dot] tu-freiberg [dot] de (Nelson[dot]Macamo[at]mabb[dot]tu-freiberg[dot]de)