The Xunta de Galicia is once again committed to Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI). In this case, the goal is to promote the comprehensive transformation of mining through the search for new innovative solutions. SmartMin Tech is an initiative adapted to the particularities of the Galician mining industry and aligned with the objectives and priorities of the Galician Sustainable Mining Agenda 2030.

The innovative solutions to be developed through this project are expected to provide the General Directorate of Energy Planning and Natural Resources of the Regional Ministry of Economy, Industry and Innovation (the body responsible for planning, regulating and promoting the mining sector in Galicia) with advanced technological tools to improve the efficiency of the services offered to the value chain of the entire sector. In addition, it seeks to promote the creation of innovative solutions that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the mining sector in the region.

By promoting the use of technologies specifically designed for Galicia's needs, the aim is to optimise resource extraction and processing, as well as waste and by-product management. This will allow progress to be made towards a more circular model and protect the environment. It will also provide the administration with the necessary tools to effectively monitor compliance with legislative requirements related to the environment and waste management, among other aspects.

In the context of SmartMin Tech, a Preliminary Market Consultation process has recently been carried out with the aim of presenting a series of challenges for which no suitable solutions have been identified in the market, in order to gather information on available solutions and trends in innovation to drive subsequent public procurement calls for innovation through a comparison with the actors of the mining innovation ecosystem.

More specifically, the aim is to respond to the following challenges:

• Challenge 1: The development of an advanced geological-mining knowledge information system for Galicia.
• Challenge 2: The development of an Advanced Management Platform for the General Directorate of Energy Planning and Natural Resources.
• Challenge 3: The development of innovative solutions related to environmental integration and the circular economy.

These consultations allow for the identification of possible solutions and suppliers, as well as the exchange of knowledge and experience between the different actors. 

Sustainable Mining Agenda 2030

At present, Galician mining has an annual production of more than 246 million euros, representing 10% of the national mining production and in which Galicia is the national leader in materials such as slate, granite, quartz or ornamental rocks.

The Galician Agenda for Sustainable Mining 2030 is the Xunta de Galicia's roadmap for the modernisation of the sector's main value chains, strengthening its competitiveness in a sustainable way and turning mining into a strategic ally for other key industries in the region.

The Agenda, allocated 32 million euros until 2024, seeks to ensure that the process of ecological and digital transition is supplied in a sustainable manner using local raw materials. In this context, the mineral raw materials industry has a key role as a supplier of strategic sectors in Galicia through which to move towards a new industrial model, based on a decarbonised and digitalised economy, such as the automotive, textile, electronics and construction sectors.

The roadmap for Galician mining sets three strategic objectives: to achieve the modernisation and growth of the Galician mining sector in a sustainable manner, the consolidation of human talent and social responsibility and, thirdly, to achieve environmental integration, the promotion of the circular economy and the enhancement of the value of mining heritage.