Cornwall, UK: Euromines President Mr. Mark Rachovides today gave one of the keynote speeches at Mine Closure 2013, a global meeting on responsible mine closure. The conference is taking place at the Eden Project, itself a former mine within the world heritage mining landscape of Cornwall. The conference is focusing on mine closure and its socio-economic and environmental legacies, and appeals to engineers, reclamation specialists, community engagement practitioners, environmental scientists, mine managers and planners and economists.

The European Minerals Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of minerals, both in daily life as well as for the European economy as a whole, thereby reaching out to a wide range of stakeholders, from policy makers at EU level and in the Member States to the general public.

The European Commission has chosen the European Minerals Day as its primary platform to communicate about the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials.  The minerals sectors organising this biennial pan-European public awareness raising event much welcome this decision.  

• On 23-24 May, the Launch Event of the European Minerals Day 2013 will take place in the presence of Commission V-P Antonio Tajani in Vipiteno, Italy.
• On 24 to 26 May 2013, local communities and children will explore the world of minerals at open day events at quarries, mines and plants across the EU.
• It is also planned to hold an exhibition and several satellite events hosted by MEPs in the European Parliament (exact date to be confirmed). The main theme is “The European minerals sector – an essential, innovative industry, throughout the value chain”.

The European Minerals Day is organised by European trade federations from the mineral raw material industry and related organisations, currently CEMBUREAU, EuroGeoSurveys, EuroMetaux, Euromines, EUSalt and IMA-Europe as well as the research platforms ETP SMR. Other sectors are most welcome to join the initiative.

If you wish to read more about European Minerals Day please visit its website: www.mineralsday.eu

On the 12th February 2013 the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on raw materials was officially launched by European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani. On this occasion a press conference took place in Brussels and the memorandum was issued (Please see the attached file).

The press conference was followed by the 1st High Level Steering Group Meeting. Dr. Corina Hebestreit participated in the meeting. The specific report from Euromines will follow.

Euromines Policy Committee is following the whole issue and is preparing the inputs and positions.

The conference on Swedish and Polish Contribution to the EU Raw Materials Initiative was held in Brussels on 27 November 2012. It was organized by KGHM Polska Miedź, LKAB, ZGH Bolesław and Boliden with the support of Euromines. It was held under the auspices of Permanent Representation of Sweden & Republic of Poland to the EU. More than 50 participants attended.