MiReBooks Available

After much fine-tuning, the first edition of MiReBooks in printed form has been printed and is now available. These books will take mining education to a higher level by incorporating VR and AR elements into teaching!

PRO-SLO – PhD School on Social Licence to Operate

Europe needs more experts to master the complex issues of a Social License to Operate (#SLO) as currently many raw materials projects are severely delayed due to severe opposition from communities.

Coordinated by the RIC Leoben Education team, an alliance of experts on the topic of SLO from research, universities and industry will design and deliver a tailored PhD school, based around challenges provided by the industry, facilitated by innovative teaching/learning methods.
The second edition of the PhD school is underway, split into three phases:
1. Online Phase (Virtual Week: 9 to 13 February 2026)
2. Case Study Phase (23 February to 27 March 2026)
3. Onsite School at Hellas Gold S.A. (19 to 24 June 2026, Chalkidiki, Greece)

Further details under: https://www.proslo.eu/

Manuel Ortega

Manuel Ortega, MSc, joined RIC Leoben in January 2019, where he manages the MiReBooks project, “Mixed Reality Handbooks for Mining Education”.
After graduating in mining engineering from León Mining University, Spain, he worked in the oil and gas service industry for many years.
He opted for Leoben because he felt like it was time to return to his mining roots.

DigiEcoQuarry

Innovative Digital Sustainable Aggregates System

Duration: 06/2021 – 05/2025

The European aggregates extractive industry is, by far, the biggest non-energy extractive industries in the EU (Eurostat 2017): 26000 estimated extraction sites: 81,26% of the total EU mining and quarrying sites, 3000 million ton extracted and supplied to the EU internal market, ~ 220000 persons directly employed. Hence the EU faces the need of sustainable and competitive future for European Raw Materials specially in the construction sector due to a greater anticipated demand for products linked to human well-being, health, safety and sustainability. DIGIECOQUARRY will exploit the aggregates industry´s great potential through a coordinated approach towards construction materials management with the final goal of reducing EU external supply dependency as well as leading an efficient use of resources.

DIGIECOQUARRY will develop systems, technology and processes for integrated digitisation and automation real-time process control, to be piloted in 5 EU quarries with the target of improving health and safety conditions for workers. The pilot campaigns will lead to improved efficiency of processes maximizing quarry resources and sustainable management of water, energy emissions, minimised environmental impact and expanding the EU aggregates and construction business. Coupling Artificial Intelligence approaches with cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things concept, make Industry 4.0 approach possible and the smart sustainable extractive site a reality. All phases of the process, from extraction to the end user are covered by DIGIECOQUARRY, ensuring communication with policy makers, social acceptance activities and international cooperation with Colombia and South Africa to share knowledge and best practices. The development of an innovative Intelligent Quarrying System (IQS) will increase the sustainable supply of minerals for the construction sector as well as enabling the sustainable extraction of EU´s mineral resources in existing and new quarries.

Applications of Pure Carbon – JTF Project

The project aims to produce hydrogen and synthesis gas as sustainable energy sources on the one hand, and high-quality carbon on the other, based on the pyrolysis of biomass and subsequent conversion of the pyrolysis gas in a metal bath reactor.
The carbon captured from the atmosphere by plants during photosynthesis is permanently captured as elemental solid carbon through the combined pyrolysis and thus no longer returns to the atmosphere.

Project content:

• Concepts for combining the production of high-quality biochar from agricultural residues and pyrolysis of the resulting gas in a liquid metal reactor to produce hydrogen or synthesis gas
• Construction of a pilot plant
• Use of solid carbon as a valuable product and thus permanent removal of CO2 from the atmosphere
• Innovative, value-adding approach as a contribution to BECCS technology (Bio Energy Carbon Capture and Storage) as a ‘negative emission technology’

Applications of high-purity carbon include:

• Carbon as biochar in agriculture (humus formation, fertiliser storage and increased water retention capacity in soils)
• Carbon in composting plants (reduction of climate-damaging emissions);
• Carbon for the production of electrodes for a variety of technical applications (e.g. batteries or metal extraction);
• Application as a construction material.

Partners for future work limited to basic research with the help of the requested funds are: voestalpine AG, Ministry of Agriculture, Schunk Carbon Technology, Marienhütte Stahl- und Walzwerks GmbH, Montanwerke Brixlegg, Industriepark Arnoldstein, RHI Magnesita, Primetals Austria AG, OMV, CEMTEC GmbH, etc.

Impact:
For the Upper Styria region, a positive impact is expected for the hydrogen-using industry, as well as an incentive for companies involved in the use of high-purity carbon in high-tech applications and agriculture to settle in the area. In addition, an innovative research and development facility will also greatly enhance the location of the Montanuniversität Leoben in Upper Styria and create extensive new opportunities in the field of hydrogen and carbon research.

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