Overview

Europe imports most of its raw materials used in renewable energy and digital technologies. But Europe has its own deposits of key raw materials and boosting domestic production would help to secure strategic and industrial value chains. A Horizon Europe project, VECTOR is coordinated by the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) with 18 partners from seven countries. VECTOR partners aim to understand the acceptance and improve the efficiency of exploration in Europe by developing new technologies and exploration models and providing all stakeholders with guidelines for more sustainable metal sourcing. The EU and the UK are investing 7.5 million Euros over the next three years to improve Europe´s raw materials supply.