EIS – Exploration Information System: EU project delves into a new information system for exploring critical raw materials

The Exploration Information System project, in short EIS, had its official kick-off meeting from 7^th to 9^th June 2022 in Rovaniemi (Finland). As part of the Horizon Europe program, EIS will play a critical role in finding new sources of critical raw materials for the EU’s transitioning economy by developing innovative exploration concepts and data analysis tools.

Funded by the European Commission and launched on 1^st May 2022, EIS project’s coordinator GTK organized a kick-off meeting in Rovaniemi and gathered 16 partners from six EU countries, South Africa, and one associate partner from Brazil along with world-leading geologists, data analysts, and other experts who discussed their roles in the project and other planning activities. The meeting was followed by a field trip to one of Lapland’s fascinating mafic layered intrusions, a real treat for all geologists out there!

The EIS consortium aims to develop methods and tools that will reduce the current high exploration costs and improve the accuracy of targeting during the early phase of mineral exploration. The project will put into practice open-source tools for all stages of mineral prospectivity analysis. The package will be published in the form of an EIS QGIS Wizard, which is made on an open-source geographic information system (GIS) platform called QGIS. This will promote a more responsible standard in the field of mineral exploration.

Field tests will be held in Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, France, Brazil, and South Africa, to examine the success of the EIS tools to find mineral resources crucial for the European Union climate goals.

The project also aims to increase the awareness of the general public on the importance of critical raw materials for the European Union in our transition to a green future by producing information materials related to primary raw materials.

“One aim of EIS is to make better decisions throughout all stages of a mineral exploration project. This will help to increase productivity, efficiency, and thus, makes mineral exploration more environmentally responsible and sustainable.
Mining stakeholders and experts have been looking forward to tools like these. A Scope Engagement Forum will be launched aiming to engage with policymakers, regulators, academia, NGOs, citizens, and end-users. This forum will stimulate stakeholder engagement and enhance societal acceptance, and uptake of EIS innovations.”Juha KAIJA, GTK, Stakeholder engagement leader of the EIS project.

As a Horizon Europe project, EIS will have a triple impact on the EU’s 2050 climate goals. By developing tools and methods to reduce the ecological impact of mineral explorations, finding new sources of raw materials critical for the digitalization of the European Union, and raising awareness of the important role of raw materials.

All these impacts play a fundamental role in our transition to a green future of Europe.

Partners:
GEOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS (GTK) (Coordinator from Finland), BEAK CONSULTANTS GMBH (Germany), BUREAU DE RECHERCHES GEOLOGIQUES ET MINIERES (France), LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITET (Sweden), AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (Spain), SVERIGES GEOLOGISKA UNDERSOKNING (Sweden), KELIBER TECHNOLOGY OY (Finland), LGI SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION (France), GISPO OY (Finland), UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE (South Africa), TURUN YLIOPISTO (Finland), UNIVERZITA KARLOVA (Czech Republic), DEUTSCHE LITHIUM GMBH (Germany), COBRE LAS CRUCES SA (Spanien), TALGA BATTERY METALS AB (Sweden), GOLDEN PET S.R.O (Czech Republic).

Associate Partner:
UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE CAMPINAS (Brazil).

Scientific coordinator: Vesa NYKÄNEN, GTK
Project manager: Hafsa MUNIA, GTK
Press contacts: Joy CREMESTY, LGI and Eddo J. DA SILVA ROSA, LGI

Contact email: contact@eis-he.eu
Project webpage: www.eis-he.eu