In this issue of Euromines Newsletter focused on China’s Market Economy Status as a crucial EU trade issue you will find the following articles:

• Introduction - focused on China
• Industry Position
• European magnesite producers position (Euromines)
• Insisting on the necessity of a full and formal impact assessment of a possible grant of market economy status to China
• European Commission - Fact Sheet

A new publication “Implementing the EIP on Raw Materials in selected EU Member States” prepared by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in close cooperation with other partners, namely Euromines, IndustriAll, EURACOAL and the European Commission has just been published. The publication summarizes the work done in 2015 when the European Economic and Social Committee’s Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) decided to hold four round tables – in Spain, Slovakia, Romania and Finland.

The aim of our round-tables is to also fulfil the mandate set by the European Commission for consultation and participation of civil society and social partners on the implementation of these initiatives.

Topics addressed in the round-table discussions included:

• Production, trade and consumption of energy and non-energy raw materials;
• Political, legal, administrative and societal challenges related with the secure access to raw materials from EU sources
• Secondary raw materials and aspects related to the concept of “circular economy”;
• Health and Safety issues.

The objective of the round-table debates was to link the Member States’ economic and industrial policy along the value chain from raw materials to end-products and to develop strategies and overcome obstacles to maintain a well-functioning European industrial fabric by improving investment conditions and creating new jobs.

The activities carried out in partnership in 2015 were greatly appreciated by the representatives of the two sides of industry and government institutions, which is why in the coming period, we will look into the possibility of holding similar events in other EU countries.

We hope you will find this publication interesting and useful.

Originally, Life Cycle Assessment used estimates of total crustal content to calculate how many years’ worth of natural resource existed. Later, practitioners began limiting existing stocks to those identified by the United States Geological Survey in its annual Commodity Summaries. (See, for example the EU's Product Environmental Footprint resources). Because of the nature of the equations used, LCA results are highly sensitive to these differences in assumed total stock of abiotic resources. There is increasing international consensus that this aspect of Life Cycle Impact Assessment is truly broken and in need of an entire re-think.

More recently, several researchers have suggested that metal production has peaked, that resources will be depleted within decades and that declining ore grades can be used to forecast a time when mining will no longer be viable. This has underlined a lack of cross-disciplinary understanding of Mineral Economics.

In a new peer-reviewed publication, "Mineral resources in life cycle impact assessment—defining the path forward", we have come forward with probably the first globally coordinated mining industry contribution to the last twenty years of research into resource assessment in Life Cycle Thinking.

In the paper (which is freely available for download), exploration, geology, and economic experts from the global mining industry provide recommendations to ensure that future research into mineral resource assessment has a sound basis and that practitioners can utilize more appropriate tools for their work.

The paper's findings were recently debated at an International Workshop co-hosted by the Natural History Museum London (follow link for access to all presentations).

In this issue of Euromines Newsletter you will find the following articles:

• Editorial
• Building trust in Finnish mining activities
• Mine Closure at Lundin Mining’s Galmoy Mines
• Happy locals, happy miner
• How Social Licence Gives Developers a Fair Wind
• Ten Ways for Cooperation With Local Mining Communities
• How to Engage With a Local Community – Bulgaria’s Example
• Do you want your company to still be here in 100 years?

The publication is aimed at environmental professionals working in, or with, extractive industries and financial institutions, who are responsible for overseeing the application of the mitigation hierarchy to biodiversity conservation, while balancing conservation needs with development priorities. The cross-sector approach  was essential in building an understanding about what good practice looks like.

The publication can be downloaded from the CSBI website [http://www.csbi.org.uk/tools-and-guidance/]

In this issue of Euromines Newsletter you will find the following articles:

• Editorial
• Pushing boundaries beyond - Circular by 2020?
• Ocean Energy – future opportunities for Europe’s mining industries?
• Automation increases efficiency and safety
• Sustainable Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage
• Raw materials between euphoria and ignorance - the need for raw material strategies
• EIT Raw Materials

Euromines Annual Report 2014 is now available. The theme of this year’s Annual Report is  based  on Euromines Raw Materials Campaign and includes three main chapters covering the topics Euromines deals with throughout the year. The first part focuses on sustainable supply of raw materials, sector competitiveness and new European Industrial Policy. The second chapter highlights the human factor and focuses on mining employment, local communities, innovation and health and safety. The third part describes a number of achievements in the fields of environment and energy.

In his foreword, Euromines president Mr. Mark Rachovides states,  "Euromines strives very hard to inform and advance knowledge and debate on our industry to show its true role in Europe’s future." We believe this Annual Report will contribute to this.

Mining Renaissance
European mining seemingly regaining lost lustre as at least one mine opens each year since 2008.

Article published in Mining Weekly in May 2015.

The presentation of Euromines President "Mining in Europe toward 2020" at EUMICON Conference "We design the future" in Linz, Austria, 5 - 6 May 2015

To improve national mineral policies or to develop new ones, especially in newer EU members like Poland (Assumptions for the Action Plan in the field of security of Polish non-energy raw materials has been approved by the Ministry of Economy in March 2015 )  the best practice guidance developed by a Commission/Member States expert group including interdisciplinary knowledge on economic, environmental, social and legal aspects can help the valuation of existing and potential mineral resources in EU.