Every two years, the European Minerals Days (EMD) allow the European public to explore the world of minerals. It is a pan-European awareness initiative by the European minerals sector and related organisations. The European Commission has recognised the EMD as a communication channel that supports the European Raw Materials Initiative, the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Discover the European Minerals Sector and its role in:

• Biodiversity: the industrial mineral sector takes great care to minimise the environmental and visible impact of its open-cast mines and quarry operation and works in partnership with governments, local communities, NGOs and other stakeholders on biodiversity
• Health and Safety: as an essential part of the extractive industry sector operating in challenging settings, our absolute priorities are health and safety. Ensuring employees’ healthy and safe working conditions is one of the most critical minerals industry issues. The sector invests heavily in projects to protect its workers from occupational health hazards.
• Innovation: the mining sector is one of our economy’s most critical drivers of innovation. When paired with innovative ideas, minerals fuel the modern world, boosting our economies, comfort, efficiency and productivity. Minerals are already playing a vital role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy. As the demand for green energy technologies—including solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and energy storage—continues to increase, so too makes the demand for the minerals required to develop and deploy them.
• Regional Development: the mineral sector has historically been a driver of development across Europe. By continuously increasing our sustainability and investments, we will continue helping to improve regions’ economic well-being and diminish regional disparities.
• Sustainability: sustainability means several things to our sector. First, it means being environmentally sustainable and ensuring that we contribute positively to European ecosystems over the long term. Second, it involves extracting and processing industrial minerals economically and ensuring that they continue to be sourced in Europe on competitive terms with other parts of the world. Third, it means partnering with workers, communities and policymakers to deliver the best possible health and safety standards while also limiting negative impacts and disruptions.

Read more on European Minerals Days website(link is external).