The headquarters of Aggregates Europe in Brussels hosted the last international event titled “From Extraction to Circularity”, organized by the European ROTATE project. The event brought together leading experts, industry representatives, research centers, and academic institutions to discuss the transition towards a more sustainable and circular model for essential and critical raw materials.
Under the slogan “Redefining Sustainable Mining”, the event provided a comprehensive overview of current innovations and future challenges in the field of mining and aggregates, with a strong focus on sustainability, digitalisation, and resource efficiency.
The first session addressed energy and operational optimization for low-impact extraction, showcasing advances in mobile crushing and screening technologies, as well as innovative approaches to granulometric characterisation using artificial vision systems. Case studies also highlighted improvements in the recovery of critical raw materials, including celestite, and their extraction from sand and gravel operations.
The second session focused on integrated environmental intelligence, presenting the ROTATE platform and several advanced modules developed by leading European institutions. These included tools for biodiversity assessment, emissions estimation, process and environmental analysis, environmental risk prediction, energy efficiency, and decision-making support.
A key part of the programme explored the integration of circularity into society, emphasizing the need to align public policies, industrial practices, and societal expectations. In this context, ANEFA contributed with insights on the role of the aggregates sector in advancing circular economy principles.
The event concluded with a session on high-value valorization pathways, presenting innovative solutions for the reuse of mine tailings and aggregate washing residues, demonstrating their potential as valuable resources within circular supply chains.
Overall, the event marked an important milestone for the ROTATE project, reinforcing its role as a key European platform for promoting sustainable, digital, and circular approaches in the management of mineral raw materials.
