8 SESSION BRIEF
Lisbon, Portugal – 22 October 2025
The MINEX Europe Forum in Lisbon played host to a vital discussion on the future of resource extraction, with the Session focusing on “Invisible Mining: Addressing EU Raw Material Challenges Through Technological Innovation.” Chaired by Richard Elmer, Director at Knight Piésold, the session explored how cutting-edge technological advancements in robotics, miniaturisation, and AI could enable low-impact, low-visibility underground mining, balancing the critical need for raw materials with stringent environmental protection and public acceptance within the European Union.
Redefining the Mining Footprint
Richard Elmer opened the session by noting the inherent challenge in the concept of “invisible” mining, suggesting “less visible” might be a more attainable goal, setting the stage for presentations on how innovative practices are changing the industry’s landscape.
Joao Verde, Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Knight Piésold, highlighted two key strategies for responsible mining: tailings re-mining and progressive restoration. He presented a case study of an underground mine in a Scottish natural park, where a conventional tailings facility was rejected by park managers. Knight Piésold’s alternative involved developing smaller, stacked tailings facilities using local turf and peat for progressive restoration. This approach allows immediate ecological recovery on completed sections, blending the facility into the natural landscape even while mining continues, significantly improving local community acceptance.
Verde also detailed a tailings re-mining project in Kazakhstan, where the company is focused on safely recovering gold resources from a vast, existing tailings storage facility. Through extensive geotechnical analysis, the dredging method was selected as the viable option, proving that existing waste can be viewed as a future cash flow stream, aligning with the principles of the circular economy.
Accelerating Development Through Trust
The challenge of permitting new mines in Europe, which can take 16 to 20 years, was addressed by Alvaro Acosta, Consulting Partner at ERM, standing in for David O’Connor. Acosta’s presentation, titled “Low impact mine proposals, and why they are the key to developing mines in Europe,” centred on the need for early, transparent engagement to build community and regulatory trust—the “new permit.”
ERM’s research across over 200 global mining projects revealed that over 60% faced delays, with the reasons rarely being technical but rather non-technical or “above-ground risks” like permitting, environmental concerns, and social opposition.2 For Europe, the key bottleneck is often procedural complexity and perception, driven by multiple layers of regulation.
Acosta argued that junior mining companies are perfectly positioned to lead this change. By integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles from the very beginning and engaging proactively with stakeholders, they can gain a competitive edge, leading to faster permitting and better access to capital. He concluded that “trust accelerates mining” and that Europe’s opportunity lies in proving that speed and sustainability can be achieved simultaneously.
Decarbonisation: A Core Metric of Design
Sean Kautzman, Principal Consultant at SRK Consulting (Canada), presented “Breaking Ground, Not the Planet: Decarbonization in Mining Studies,” stressing that carbon reduction efforts are becoming mandatory for attracting investment and meeting global targets.
He advocated for incorporating decarbonisation strategies across the entire mine life cycle, from exploration through to closure, noting that removing a tonne of emissions now pays greater environmental dividends later. Kautzman outlined the increasing level of detail required for Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment at each technical study stage:
- Scoping Study/PEA: Initial energy assessment, estimating early-stage GHG emissions, and evaluating low-carbon energy sources.
- PFS (Pre-Feasibility Study): Narrowing down energy provision options and advancing engineering designs to quantify energy requirements via trade-off studies.
- FS (Feasibility Study): Establishing precise electricity and fuel needs, refining carbon reduction strategies over the project’s lifespan, and ensuring carbon taxes are integrated into the economic model.
He also cautioned that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) must now include scrutiny of climate-related risks (physical and transition) and compliance to ensure a project is truly a part of the solution, concluding with a memorable reference to Kermit the Frog: “It’s not easy being green, but consideration of green mining endeavours… is a responsible effort.”
Portugal’s Legacy: Remediation and Restoration
The session concluded with two insightful case studies on environmental remediation in Portugal, showcasing decades of work in addressing the country’s extensive mining legacy.
Carlos Martins, Technical Director at EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, delivered a rapid overview of Portugal’s 25 years of remediation efforts. Following centuries of mining with little environmental concern, the situation was deemed “catastrophic” by the mid-1990s. Since 2001, EDM has had the exclusive right to remediate legacy sites where the Polluter Pays Principle does not apply.
Martins reported that out of 199 identified sites, including 62 uranium mines, EDM has intervened in 117. Key achievements include the construction of 25 confinement cells and the operation of eight technical mine water treatment facilities. He highlighted the successful remediation of Urgeiriça, a major uranium mine that took 20 years and nearly €33 million, resulting in a 90% reduction in pre-existing exposure to contamination. EDM has invested nearly €150 million up to 2025 and plans a further €46 million investment until 2030, with a major current challenge being the long-term maintenance and impacts of climate change on remediated areas.
Finally, Álvaro Pinto, Executive Director of Centro Ciência Viva do Lousal, focused on the rehabilitation of the Lousal Mine, a former copper/lead/zinc site that ceased operations in 1988. Pinto detailed a pioneering pilot project combining geomorphic and ecological restoration with chemical remediation for the site’s challenging acid mine drainage (AMD).
The project involved:
- Geomorphic Reconfiguration: Using specialist software to sculpt the waste piles into stable landforms that mimic the natural surrounding relief, a process that required careful, precise instruction for the machinery operators accustomed to creating flat land.
- Chemical Layering: Covering the new shapes with a bottom layer of clay and limestone to neutralise acid water and a top layer of sustainable soil mixed with animal manure.
- Ecological Restoration: Seeding the area with carefully selected endemic plants and wild species.
Pinto shared striking before-and-after images, noting the rapid return of local biodiversity—new insect, bird, and mammal species—confirming that the approach provides long-term stability and achieves a high level of public acceptance. He concluded that Lousal demonstrates how to reconcile mining activity with the return of land to nature, with the ultimate goal being to make environmental sustainability an intrinsic value of mining.
The MINEX Europe Forum’s session on Invisible Mining successfully highlighted that while truly “invisible” extraction remains an ambitious concept, the industry is making substantial strides towards “less visible” and highly responsible resource development. The presentations delivered a unified message: the future of European raw material supply hinges not just on technological innovation—such as progressive restoration, re-mining, and decarbonisation—but critically on early, transparent engagement to secure public and regulatory trust. Portugal’s case studies on legacy mine remediation offered compelling evidence that even the most damaged sites can be successfully restored, affirming that sustainability and speed are not mutually exclusive in achieving Europe’s resource and climate goals.