An industry under pressure
The growing demand for critical raw materials is directing the mining companies to excavate minerals at greater depths. This trend is pushing mining practices and traditional technologies in maintaining profitability while aligning with the latest environmental vision and ensuring the safety of human workers.
A crucial factor in overcoming these challenges and promoting sustainable growth in the mining industry is the creation and implementation of cutting-edge technologies aimed at efficiently extracting raw materials in a resource conscious manner within the European Union.
Autonomy brings new options
The PERSEPHONE project aims to develop autonomous drilling machines tailored for significant depths. These machines, considerably smaller (three to four times) than current machines, address the inherent reduction in tunnel size at greater depths. The compact design allows them to navigate tight tunnels effectively resulting in both enhanced precision and a minimized environmental footprint. The embedding of autonomy will also ensure complete safety for human operators.
Goals
The project’s ultimate goal is two-fold:
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Diminishing the environmental impact of mining by introducing cutting-edge technologies
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Accessing minerals at greater depths, thereby securing Europe’s mineral supply chain.
Given the current dependence on imported critical raw materials, contributing to this initiative is a step toward fostering European independence, reducing reliance on external sources, and ensuring a more sustainable and self-sufficient future.
Additionally, the consortium is introducing completely novel approaches in online near mine exploration core analysis and overall integration of related data analytics to mine expansion.
Thus, PERSEPHONE allows to foster green transition by reducing the cost and waste generated from deep-mining operations, and fosters the vision of zero human presence in highly hazardous areas.
