News | Euromines

Euromines at Decarb Connect Europe 2026: Decarbonising Europe’s economy through low-carbon raw materials

Euromines participated in Decarb Connect Europe 2026 on 3 June 2026, a high-level forum focused on industrial decarbonisation, low-carbon materials markets, and the transition to a net-zero economy. The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, and technology providers to move from climate ambition to implementation.

Panel: Who is actually buying low-carbon materials and how can market development be accelerated?

Rolf Kuby, Director General of Euromines, moderated the panel discussion, which brought together industry and policy experts including Laura Hutchinson, Tobias Lechtenfeld, and Jakob Flechtner to examine demand creation and market barriers for low-carbon products.

Key Takeaways:

Ambition alone is insufficient; Europe must focus on concrete implementation, leveraging its strengths in innovation, technology, and industrial expertise.

High energy costs remain a major competitiveness challenge for European industry.

Financing gaps persist across CAPEX, OPEX, and offtake mechanisms for low-carbon projects.

Scaling from pilot projects to industrial deployment requires economies of scale and stable demand signals.

Effective demand-side policies are essential to create functioning markets for low-carbon materials.

These conclusions align with the CEPS analysis “Making the green premium work”, highlighting the need for policy frameworks that stimulate demand for low-carbon industrial products.

Decarb Connect Podcast

Rolf Kuby is also featured on the Decarb Connect podcast, “Decarbonizing at the Source: Why Raw Materials Are the Blind Spot in Europe’s Climate Strategy,” discussing the role of raw materials and supply chains in Europe’s climate and decarbonisation ambitions. Listen here.

Joint Statement: Energy-Intensive Industries – Calls for cap on network tariffs

Joint statement calling for a cap on network tariffs for energy-intensive industries

Energy-intensive industries (EIIs) form the backbone of critical and strategic value chains that underpin the EU economy and society, including transport, construction, power generation, batteries, semiconductors, and defence. They are indispensable to the energy and digital transitions, to industrial decarbonisation, to addressing the housing crisis, and to safeguarding the EU’s strategic autonomy. In the EU, EIIs represent a turnover of over 1.5 trillion € and around 6.6 million direct employees.

Competitive and predictable access to clean electricity is a prerequisite for securing the future of Europe’s energy-intensive industries. The Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework provides a clear key performance indicator in this regard: 50€/MWh. Under current global market conditions, a KPI of 50€/MWh should be a maximum of total electricity costs for industry, not just the wholesale price.

However, the EU’s industrial base faces an existential crisis due to still high electricity prices and increasing system costs. Several European countries (such as Germany, Ireland, Poland etc.) are notably already experiencing sharp increases in network tariffs. This upward trajectory is expected to intensify across the continent as Europe accelerates its transition to a decarbonized economy, requiring nearly €1.2 trillion in grid

modernization and expansion by 20501. The rising grid costs – a growing component of the industrial electricity bill – are becoming a structural burden for EU’s energy-intensive industries, directly undermining their global competitiveness by contributing to keeping European industrial electricity costs significantly higher than those in neighbouring and competing markets.

In addition, energy-intensive industries must optimize their processes for maximum energy efficiency, which often limits their technical and commercial ability to provide flexibility to the grid. The adoption of new dynamic tariff methodologies should not penalise baseload industries for their consumption during peak periods, as they provide stability to the system and have a noticeably higher utilisation rate of grid assets than other consumer groups, thus contributing to grid efficiency and limiting the need for additional grid investments. The closure of industrial stable consumption would increase RES curtailment (for instance, the loss of 500 MW of industrial baseload during periods with high RES-E generation could cause about 130 GWh additional curtailment2) and lead to higher network charges for the rest of consumers.

Though an optimized and modernised European electricity grid is essential to delivering clean electricity supply, policy must ensure that rising costs resulting from grid upgrades do not translate into higher network tariffs for our industries, adding to their energy cost burden and compromising their ability to compete. While various effective options can help reduce the impact of higher grid costs for industrial consumers, a harmonized EU framework for network tariffs is essential for preserving the integrity of the Single Market by removing widening tariff disparities between Member States.

Therefore, we call on EU decision-makers to introduce a cap on network tariffs for energy-intensive industries, mirroring the similar cap for power producers set by Commission Regulation 838/2010 annex part B3. Consistent with the provisions currently applicable to power generators, the average network tariffs in every Member State should remain within a certain range, for instance of 0 to 1.2 EUR/MWh.

As the EU legislation already recognizes that wide variations in grid charges for power generators undermine and fragment the internal market, the same logic must apply to energy-intensive consumers. Implementing the cap would help preserving the level playing field in the internal market, while providing energy-intensive industries with the cost predictability and certainty needed to support investment decisions and to continue their decarbonization journey. The cap can be implemented without compromising the financial integrity of grid operators and it provides them with revenue certainty leaving them less exposed to abrupt tariff reduction decisions.

But more importantly, the €1.2 trillion EU grid investments will require a financial strategy going beyond tariff-based recovery and based on a mix of private financial instruments and EU funds. In this regard, the Clean Energy Investment Strategy and the Commission’s proposal to increase the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) budget by over five times in the next MFF period are steps in the right direction.

We are convinced this solution will contribute to restoring European industry’s competitiveness and we remain available to discuss the details with all involved decision makers to ensure its swift implementation.

European raw materials sector gathers in Cyprus for high-level policy and industry dialogue

The city of Larnaca recently hosted a major event for Europe’s raw materials community: the Entrepreneurs’ Forum “Why Do We Need Minerals?”. The event was held under the auspices of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union and brought together more than 150 participants from over 20 countries.

The programme was co-organised by Euromines, together with Aggregates Europe, Eurogypsum, and alongside national partners from Cyprus and Greece. Discussions focused on the strategic importance of raw materials for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and green and digital transitions.

High-level political engagement

The events featured strong institutional participation, including an address by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, who underlined the importance of secure and sustainable access to raw materials for Europe’s future. The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, also participated, reinforcing Cyprus’ role in advancing the EU raw materials agenda during its Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Senior representation from Euromines, including its Director General Rolf Kuby and the President Emeritus Mark Rachovides, was present across the programme, reflecting the organisation’s continued engagement in European policy dialogue on raw materials.

Cooperation across the sector and along the value chain

During the event, participants highlighted several common themes:

The essential role of minerals and raw materials in infrastructure, housing, energy, mobility, and defence
The need to balance environmental objectives with industrial competitiveness
The importance of improving permitting efficiency while maintaining high environmental standards
The limits of recycling and substitution in meeting near-term material demand
The need to strengthen Europe’s domestic supply base to reduce strategic dependencies

Speakers underlined that innovation, circular economy approaches, and primary production are complementary elements in securing long-term material supply. The joint organisation by Aggregates Europe, Eurogypsum, and Euromines highlighted growing cooperation across the aggregates, industrial minerals, and metals sectors. This collaboration reflected a shared understanding that Europe’s industrial and climate ambitions depend on a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials across the entire value chain. The discussions in Larnaca reinforced a shared conclusion across sectors: Europe’s long-term competitiveness and resilience depend on secure, sustainable access to raw materials, underpinned by cooperation between industry, policymakers, and institutions.

Member Spotlight: ABB – Europe’s mining industry at a crossroads: Let’s make progress on the journey together

Europe’s mining industry at a crossroads: Let’s make progress on the journey together

Joachim Braun, Division President, ABB’s Process Industries division

As mining companies, machine builders and technology leaders, Europe’s mining industry community is acutely aware that we stand at an intersection with decisions to make for the future. As 2026 begins, global demand for critical metals and minerals continues to rise. It is expected to increase by more than 50% by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025. While this places us firmly in a strong, sought after position with renewed potential, European operators face mounting pressure to strengthen domestic supply while meeting ambitious decarbonization and safety expectations.

For me, as a European who has lived in Germany, France and around the world in my career roles, I see the changing landscape from various angles – close to my home I have some of the largest lithium deposits on our continent. ABB is active here, notably with Vulcan Energy. The projects will be crucial to global battery supply chains. The challenges exist but they need a mindset of pragmatic innovation that delivers measurable progress without waiting for absolutely ideal conditions.

According to our Mining’s Moment report, 73% of mining leaders now believe that transformation requires more innovative approaches to technology and risk management. Yet a common misconception persists, that modernization must be sweeping, immediate and disruptive. In truth, Europe’s mining landscape, characterized by mature operations and strict permitting regimes, is ideally suited to incremental, scalable deployment. At the same time productivity and uptime must are core to meet targets and thrive.

ABB’s Mining’s Moment research reinforces this shift, showing that 77% of leaders identify electrification, automation and digitalization as essential tools for reshaping operations. Throughout Europe, we see how targeted advancements are already creating meaningful impact. Collaborative efforts with Swedish companies demonstrate the value of steady, actionable innovation.

Our long-standing cooperation with LKAB, formalised through a strategic technology partnership, is accelerating the maturity of next-generation automation, electrification and digital systems aimed at building the all-electric, digitalized mine. This includes work on advanced energy systems, robotics and optimized production management that supports LKAB’s broader transformation journey.

Similarly, together with Boliden and Epiroc, we helped realize the industry’s first battery‑electric trolley truck system for underground mining, demonstrating how electrified haulage can rapidly reduce emissions while improving working condition. This is another important milestone on Europe’s path to fossil‑free mining.

Such progress extends beyond productivity and sustainability. Safety remains the foundation of European mining, which is why I am especially proud of ABB’s recent recognition at the Euromines Safety Awards for our automated robotic solution enabling remote blasting operations. Developed with partners including Boliden and LKAB, this technology removes workers from high‑risk zones and automates one of the last manual processes in underground mining.

These examples illustrate the power of measured innovation: small, confident steps that compound into major advances. For 2026, I encourage operators to pilot rapidly, choose modular systems that evolve with mine needs and collaborate deeply with technology partners.

Europe’s mining future will be built not on perfection, but on progress. Using technologies and expertise that exist today will allow us to pull away from any crossroads we come to on our journey. Consistent, practical innovations, step-by-step will strengthen resilience, enhance safety and facilitate collaborations that make a difference. As decision makers and partners to this industry we must hold onto our duties to uphold our leadership in responsible resource development. We have the map, we have the keys, so let’s continue to find what unites us and drive forward.

Joachim Braun

Division President

ABB’s Process Industries division

Euromines at EIT RawMaterials Summit 2026: Europe must accelerate industrial policy implementation

Europe risks weakening its industrial base and deepening strategic dependencies unless it urgently strengthens its raw materials value chain, Euromines highlighted during high-level discussions at the EIT RawMaterials Summit 2026.

As the European Union advances implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and the forthcoming Circular Economy Act, industry representatives called for a policy framework capable of translating regulatory ambition into industrial reality.

Jan Moström in “Anchoring Value in Europe: Connecting Industry and Policy on Europe’s Raw Materials Reality” Fireside Chat

Jan Moström, President of Euromines, Senior Advisor and former CEO of LKAB, stressed that Europe’s competitiveness will depend on its ability to create stable, investable conditions across the entire raw materials ecosystem.

Moström warned that fragmented implementation, lengthy permitting procedures, and insufficient policy alignment continue to undermine Europe’s capacity to secure domestic supply chains and attract long-term industrial investment.

Strategic autonomy cannot be achieved through legislative ambition alone. Europe must accelerate project development, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and ensure regulatory coherence if it is to reduce structural dependencies on third-country sourcing of critical raw materials.

The panel brought together senior representatives from industry and the European Commission, including Paulina Dejmek Hack, Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Jessika Roswall, and Marc-Simon Schaar, CFO of Outokumpu Corporation. The discussion was moderated by David Eades.

Mark Rachovides in “Europe’s Other Mine: Circularity as Europe’s Competitive Advantage” High-Level Discussion on Scaling EU Circular Value Chains

Mark Rachovides, President Emeritus of Euromines, moderated a high-level discussion on the strategic importance of circularity in Europe’s industrial agenda. The session examined barriers to scaling competitive secondary raw materials value chains.

Speakers stressed that circularity must be treated as a core industrial and geopolitical priority, central to Europe’s resilience, supply security, and economic sovereignty.

While Europe possesses significant secondary raw materials potential, panellists highlighted persistent obstacles including fragmented regulation, insufficient investment incentives, financing gaps, and the absence of integrated market structures capable of supporting industrial-scale circularity.

Against a backdrop of geopolitical volatility and intensifying global competition for critical minerals, participants warned that Europe cannot afford continued delays in mobilising domestic primary and secondary raw materials capacity.

The session featured Frédéric Carencotte, President of CARESTER, Inge Hofkens, COO Multimetal Recycling at Aurubis, Macarena Gutierrez, CEO of Atlantic Copper, Niclas-Alexander Mauss, Co-Founder of CIRCULAR REPUBLIC / UnternehmerTUM GmbH, and Wouter Ghyoot, VP Government Affairs at Umicore.

From Regulatory Ambition to Industrial Delivery

Across both discussions, a consistent message emerged: Europe’s industrial resilience and strategic autonomy will depend not only on political targets, but on the speed and coherence of implementation.

The challenge is no longer defining Europe’s raw materials strategy. The challenge is execution: creating the regulatory certainty, investment environment, and industrial scale required to secure Europe’s position in an increasingly contested global raw materials landscape.

Member Spotlight: KGHM renewed its long‑term partnership with Danish NKT

KGHM renewed its long‑term partnership with Danish NKT – the agreement, valid until 2036, is valued at about EUR 6 billion

KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. has renewed its long‑term copper supply agreement with NKT, one of Europe’s leading power cable manufacturers. The extension of the partnership ensures a stable off‑take of copper produced by KGHM in Europe and strengthens the Company’s position as a strategic supplier of raw materials for the energy sector. The renewed agreement guarantees long‑term copper availability through 2036, confirming the partner’s confidence in the quality of KGHM’s products and the reliability of its deliveries. The contract aligns with KGHM’s policy of building lasting relationships with customers and supporting the energy transition.

– Our long‑term cooperation with NKT highlights KGHM’s position as a dependable supplier of high‑quality copper products in a demanding market environment. It reflects the trust we have built together and our shared commitment to supporting the energy transition. We value this partnership, and we are proud that our wire rod will continue to contribute to the advanced and sustainable solutions developed by NKT, said Remigiusz Paszkiewicz, President of the Management Board of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

NKT’s copper demand continues to grow in line with the company’s expansion of production facilities to meet the high global demand for power cable solutions. Ensuring access to reliable copper supply sources is therefore essential to maintaining NKT’s competitiveness and strengthening the resilience of its value chain.

Guided by a long‑term perspective on copper market developments, NKT has strengthened its security of supply for the coming decade through the renewed agreement with KGHM. The contract serves as an enabler of NKT’s strategic ambitions of delivering reliably, sustainably and at scale, while reducing the company’s exposure to market fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainty.

– Our extended partnership with KGHM is an important step in securing the long‑term supply of copper that underpins our ability to deliver reliable power cable solutions to our customers. KGHM is a long standing, trusted partner to NKT, consistently demonstrating strong operational performance and high‑quality output. By strengthening this relationship, we reinforce the robustness of our supply chain, reduce our exposure to market volatility and ensure a stable foundation for NKT’s continued growth, says Claes Westerlind, President & CEO of NKT.

KGHM operates across the entire copper value chain, from mining, smelting, refining and, recycling to rod manufacturing. By leveraging KGHM’s vertically integrated production capabilities and strong European footprint, NKT secures stable and reliable access to European sourced copper for a significant share of its future requirements, which is especially important given the EU’s strategy to boost resilience by supporting domestic production of critical raw materials as well as the increasing attention paid to the local content.in supply chains.

KGHM fabrication facilities and smelters are Copper Mark certified and aligned with NKT’s commitment to responsible sourcing, robust due diligence and ethical standards for people, communities and the environment KGHM aims to further reduce the carbon intensity of its copper products, thereby strengthening the sustainability profile of the products supplied to NKT. Sustainability is embedded in KGHM’s operational strategy, guiding investment decisions, technology development and long-term value creation across the entire value chain. This enables NKT to offer customers lower-carbon, responsibly sourced solutions, reinforcing NKT’s competitive positioning and credibility in increasingly sustainability-driven markets.

Facts about the contract

Duration: The agreement extends the existing contract by an additional nine years (2028–2036). The current contract remains valid until the end of 2027.
Contract value: The total estimated value of the contract extension is within the range of EUR 5.4 up to 7 billion for 2028–2036 based on current assumptions.
The amount of copper sourced equals production of an installation cable that can span the Earth a 1000 times.

About KGHM
KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is an integrated copper producer with its own mineral resources, mines, concentrators and metallurgical plants, producing copper both in the form of cathodes and copper wire rod. The company is the largest producer of mined copper in Europe and is a member of the elite group of 10 largest copper producers in the world. According to the World Silver Survey 2025 ranking, the company is the 2nd largest silver producer globally. KGHM’s metallurgical plants hold the prestigious Copper Mark certification, which is a confirmation of efficient copper metallurgical production that meets the highest standards.

www.KGHM.com

About NKT
NKT connects a greener world with high-quality power cable technology and takes centre stage as the world moves towards green energy. NKT designs, manufactures and installs low-, medium- and high-voltage power cable solutions enabling sustainable energy transmission. Since 1891, NKT has innovated the power cable technology building the infrastructure for the first light bulbs to the megawatts created by renewable energy today. NKT is headquartered in Denmark and employs 6,000 people. NKT is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen and realised a revenue of EUR 3.3 billion in 2024.

www.NKT.com.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026: Occupational Safety and Health in European Mining

At Euromines, we believe that a safe and healthy workplace is the foundation of a sustainable, responsible, and competitive mining sector in Europe. On World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to the highest standards in occupational safety and health.

Explore how five of our members are practising occupational safety and health below.

Eldorado Gold - VR & Augmented Reality Safety Training

Hellas Gold – Eldorado Gold has implemented innovative virtual and augmented reality training programmes using integrated simulators for key underground equipment, such as jumbo drills and load haul dumpers. The simulators replicate actual mine environments and controls, providing an immersive 360-degree learning experience. This approach enables operators to develop and refine their skills in a safe, controlled setting, eliminating risk while avoiding disruption to ongoing production.

Atalaya Mining - AI-Supported Safety Training

At Atalaya Mining, safety is built through the daily experience of team members, whose involvement and commitment are essential for both identifying risks and driving improvement initiatives.

This approach is grounded in two key programmes. The first, “Leadership in the Field,” is an award-winning initiative recognised by the Euromines award in 2025. It brings prevention directly to the workplace, encouraging open dialogue and direct observations across all areas to help identify and prevent potential incidents.

This is complemented by the “Zero Harm Challenge,” where employee ideas, supported by artificial intelligence, contribute to improvements in training, awareness, and operational practices.

In parallel, Atalaya Mining ensures optimal working conditions through ongoing occupational health monitoring and preventive controls, including measures to detect substances that may affect perception or behaviour in the workplace.

ICL Iberia - Drone-based Inspection System

In ICL Iberia’s Iberpotash Rock Mechanics Department, they have implemented a drone-based inspection system to assess hazardous areas where personnel exposure would be unsafe.

Inspections are carried out using the Elios 3 drone (Flyability), equipped with integrated lighting, a LiDAR scanner, and an HD camera.

This technology has significantly enhanced safety by enabling detailed inspections of hazardous areas within the mine without direct human exposure.

KGHM Polska Miedź - Safety Notes

KGHM Polska Miedź’s campaign highlights the company’s core value: safety. Focusing on employees’ daily connections with loved ones, it reminds everyone that following safety rules is part of everyday responsibilities.

Yellow post-it notes in hallways, bathrooms, and workstations carry messages like:

“Dear Son! Buy milk and walk the dog. Wear your helmet at work! Love, Mom.”

“Don’t forget our visit to Grandma’s. Return safely! Love, Dad.”

Through these simple reminders, KGHM emphasises that workplace safety is a responsibility to ourselves and those who care about us.

PRIMIGEA - Safe Smartphone Use

View the document in full size here.

PRIMIGEA (Spanish Confederation of Mineral Raw Materials Industries) highlights that mobile phones, while essential for communication, task coordination, and accessing technical documentation, introduce risks in mining environments if not properly managed. Distractions or use in areas of active traffic and work can lead to serious incidents.

The sector is committed to strengthening a culture of prevention and addressing emerging risks linked to everyday habits like mobile phone use. Evidence shows that distraction is a recurring factor in workplace incidents, and mobile phones can amplify this without clear organizational guidelines.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and provide practical guidance for safe, responsible, and productive mobile phone use in mining operations by:

Reducing accident risks from distraction in areas with machinery, traffic, or hazardous work
Standardising best practices on when, where, and how to use mobile phones
Strengthening preventive behavior of all staff, including employees and contractors
Promoting a shared safety culture where prevention is part of daily routines

Safety at the Core of Europe’s Green and Industrial Transitions

As Europe drives forward its green and industrial transitions, occupational safety and health remain central to mining operations. A strong safety culture, effective risk prevention, and ongoing investment across the raw materials value chain ensure that our workforce is protected today and into the future.

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Euromines 30th Anniversary Event: Securing Europe’s Industrial Resilience

View the event gallery at the bottom of the page.

On 22 April 2026, Euromines marked its 30th anniversary with a high-level policy event in Brussels, bringing together EU decision-makers and industry leaders to discuss the future of mining in Europe and its role in supporting Europe’s strategic autonomy, competitiveness, and security.

At a time when Europe’s objective of accelerating its green and industrial transitions is complemented stepping up our defense and security capacity, a central question guided the discussion: how can the EU secure a reliable, responsible, and sustainable supply of raw materials to support for all of these objectives simultaneously?

Speakers:

The event featured contributions from key EU and industry leaders:

Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission (his speech in English)
Hildegard Bentele, Member of the European Parliament (European People’s Party, DE)
Brigitte van den Berg, Member of the European Parliament (Renew Europe, NL)
Jan Moström, President, Euromines
Mark Rachovides, President Emeritus, Euromines

Key Takeaways:

Europe’s mining sector is essential for resilience: The mining industry is a strategic pillar in Europe’s raw materials value chain, supporting the continent’s economic resilience, industrial growth, and transition to a sustainable future.

Global pressures are reshaping the sector: Resource nationalism, global competition, and evolving ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards are transforming the mining landscape. The effectiveness of current measures, such as simplification, project support, energy policy, and demand anchoring, remains uncertain. All these actions must align to create a cost-competitive environment for raw materials production.

Investment depends on a coherent policy framework: The business case for EU mining hinges on a clear, supportive policy framework. Investment and competitiveness are outcomes of well-designed policy, not goals that can be mandated. Key drivers include efficient permitting processes, energy costs, and an overall ease of doing business.

Competitiveness thrives on competition: True competitiveness comes from fostering competition, supported by targeted public measures where needed. At the same time, competition rules must reflect global market dynamics, ensuring that Europe can effectively compete on the international stage.

RESourceEU Action Plan and the Future of EU Mining

The RESourceEU Action Plan was highlighted as a key step in turning Europe’s raw materials and strategic autonomy ambitions into concrete policy measures, supporting long-term supply security and industrial competitiveness.

PRESS RELEASE: Euromines welcome VarDev Mining and MPI Magnesium as their newest members

Brussels, 22 April 2026 – Euromines is pleased to welcome VarDev Mining and MPI Magnesium, further strengthening its representation of Europe’s mining and minerals sector in Romania at a time of growing demand for secure and sustainable raw materials.

VarDev Mining is committed to the responsible development of Romania’s mineral resources. VarDev is focused on advancing the cyanide-free Certej Project located in Hunedoara County, Romania, by prioritizing environmental stewardship and the safety of our workforce in accordance with robust European standards to create opportunities for stakeholders. We strongly believe in the potential of Romania’s Apuseni mineral belt to be a major source of minerals to the European market, including gold, copper and other critical minerals.
MPI Magnesium is a fully integrated Romanian mining and processing project and one of the most advanced magnesium developments in Europe. Aligned with the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and supported by European and national authorities, the project will produce high-purity magnesium materials—MgO, Mg (OH)₂, and magnesium metal—for strategic applications across Europe. Located in Sibiu County, MPI Magnesium aims to strengthen Europe’s resilience by delivering responsibly sourced, locally produced magnesium at scale.

“VarDev is pleased to join Euromines, an organization that is committed to advancing responsible mining practices in Europe. VarDev is focused on integrating strong environmental and safety practice as we work collaboratively to advance the Certej Project in Hunedoara County, Romania. We look forward to working with Euromines to strengthen Romania and Europe’s position as an ethical and secure source of responsibly produced minerals from Certej and other nearby deposits.” – Tim Aldersley, President, VarDev Mining.

“Joining Euromines marks an important milestone for MPI Magnesium as we advance one of Europe’s most significant integrated magnesium projects. Having been personally involved in its development for the past eight years, I strongly believe in its role in supporting Europe’s strategic autonomy through locally sourced critical raw materials. We look forward to working closely with Euromines to help shape a strong, resilient and competitive European magnesium value chain.” – Andrei Degeratu, Chief Executive Officer, MPI Magnesium.

“We are pleased to welcome Vardev and MPI Magnesium to Euromines, strengthening our presence in Romania and reinforcing the role of the country within Europe’s mining sector. Their expertise will support our shared efforts to advance responsible mining and secure sustainable raw materials supply.”- Rolf Kuby, Director-General, Euromines.

About Euromines

Euromines, the European Association of Mining, Metal Ores & Industrial Metals, is the voice of the European metals and minerals mining industry. Our primary goal is to promote responsible industry practices and ensure that mining receives appropriate consideration in EU policymaking. As a collaborative network, Euromines brings together the Secretariat and Members to assess the impact of European and international policies on the industry, shaping unified positions and actions. Representing both large and small companies, as well as their subsidiaries across Europe and beyond, Euromines advocates for a sustainable and competitive mining sector.

For media enquires, please contact:

Anna Zanetti

zanetti@euromines.be

Mineral Industry Days 2026: Sustainability and Preparedness

Mineral Industry Days 2026, co-organised by Euromines, the Federation of Norwegian Industries, and Aggregates Europe, took place in Oslo on 13–14 April 2026. The event brought together European and industry leaders for two days to discuss the role of Europe’s mineral industry in shaping a sustainable and resilient future. Euromines President Jan Moström, Director General Rolf Kuby, and Deputy Director General Dr Florian Anderhuber participated in the discussions.

Day 1 – Strategic Preparedness and Europe’s Raw Materials Challenge

Euromines President Jan Moström contributed to the high-level session “Preparedness and the regulatory environment”, while Euromines Director General Rolf Kuby participated in the closing fireside chat alongside key industry partners. Their contributions set a clear tone: Europe’s raw materials system is becoming increasingly constrained by geopolitical tensions, regulatory complexity, and declining domestic processing capacity, requiring urgent policy and industrial alignment.

The session brought together leading voices including Fabian Zuleeg (European Policy Centre), who highlighted Europe’s “trilemma of price, cost and sustainability”, underlining the need for more transparent discussions on trade-offs. Jan Moström emphasised the supply chain perspective, pointing to growing pressure from global competition for critical minerals and the widening gap between Europe’s strategic ambitions and regulatory reality.

A shared conclusion emerged: raw materials are now central to Europe’s energy transition, defence capability, infrastructure resilience, and industrial sovereignty. At the same time, they represent a strategic opportunity, if Europe can modernise permitting, strengthen investment frameworks, and align policy with industrial needs.

From Fragmentation to Strategic Opportunity in EU Raw Materials Policy

The closing fireside chat reinforced a central message from Euromines Director General Rolf Kuby: Europe has the assets and expertise required, but must now accelerate delivery through greater coherence, speed, and trust-building across stakeholders.

Day 2 – Sustainability, Skills and Industrial Competitiveness

Euromines Deputy Director General Dr Florian Anderhuber highlighted a key transformation: sustainability is no longer just an ESG requirement, but a foundational pillar of long-term industrial competitiveness.

The discussion emphasised a clear evolution across the sector:

from compliance → to value creation
from reporting → to trust and reliability
from obligation → to competitive advantage

Responsible operations are increasingly recognised as stable and strategic operations, aligning environmental performance with industrial resilience and investment attractiveness.

Workforce, Skills and Trust in the Raw Materials Sector

A dedicated session on workforce development underscored that skills, talent attraction, and public trust are becoming defining challenges for the European raw materials sector.

Speakers, including Euromines Director General Rolf Kuby, highlighted the need to better connect the sector’s role to societal value, particularly in enabling the green transition, digitalisation, and security.

Key priorities included:

Embedding skills development early in project and industrial planning
Strengthening diversity, inclusion, and long-term talent pipelines
Improving public understanding of the sector’s contribution to Europe’s future

The message was clear: competitiveness depends not only on technology and resources, but also on people, purpose, and perception.

Shared Conclusions from Mineral Industry Days 2026

Across both days, speakers from Euromines, industry, and policy agreed on a central direction: Europe’s raw materials sector is essential to strategic autonomy, but must evolve faster to meet today’s geopolitical and economic realities.

Key shared takeaways:

Raw materials underpin Europe’s energy, defence, and industrial systems
Permitting and regulatory frameworks must become more efficient and coherent
Circularity and innovation are key to strengthening supply resilience
Trust, transparency, and local engagement are essential for long-term legitimacy