The Galician Sustainable Mining Agenda 2030 is the agenda for the coming years aimed at consolidating the sector as a strategic ally for the modernisation of the main value chains of Galician industry, such as the automotive, textile, electronics and construction sectors.

Specifically, until 2024, it has been allocated 32 million euros to ensure that the process of ecological and digital transition is sustainably sourced from local raw materials, helping to move towards a new industrial model based on a decarbonised and digitised economy.

As part of the Xunta de Galicia's commitment to developing sustainable and safe mining, five lines of aid for industrial activity linked to natural resources will be announced this year. In total, these grants amount to €2.4 million and have a wider scope of action than in the previous edition.

They are aimed at private mining companies, including the subsector of natural mineral water and activities related to the mining sector, such as the production of ornamental rock, as well as those dedicated to operating spas and which carry out their activity or have a work centre in Galicia.

The first of the budget lines will support investments intended to improve the quality of the atmosphere in the areas where mining activity takes place, and in particular by reducing dust and noise emissions. The main new feature is that it extends to investments for the protection of the environment in the area of mining activity.

Two other lines will promote investments to improve worker conditions, in particular to reduce exposure to dust and noise: one will target the mining sector in general and includes, as a new feature, investments in vibration reduction and safety measures, industrial hygiene and ergonomics; the other will focus on the ornamental rock sector.

The aid intensity will be a maximum of 60% for small enterprises, 50% for medium-sized enterprises and 40% for large enterprises, with a maximum of EUR 100,000 for the first and second line, and EUR 50,000 for the third line.

On the other hand, aid will be granted to support the acquisition of energy efficiency equipment in companies in the mining sector, especially for those involved in bottling natural mineral waters, as well as those running spas. This year, therefore, it is open to the entire sector and will also include support for the preparation of energy audits related to the investments to be made in this equipment. In this case, the aid intensity will be 50% for small companies, 40% for medium-sized companies and 30% for large companies, with a maximum of 50,000 euros for equipment and 1,000 euros for audits.

Certification implementation

Finally, support will also be provided for the implementation and certification processes of the UNE 22480: 2019 Sustainable Mining Management System and UNE 22470: 2019 Sustainable Mining, Mining and Metallurgical Management System, which certify the implementation of a sustainable mining management system in companies in this sector and which will allow Galicia to progress towards its goal of becoming the Spanish Community with the highest number of mining companies certified in this field. The maximum aid will be 3,000 euros.