EU projects

OPTIMINER – Pioneering Sustainable CRM Recovery in European Mining

COMEX Polska Sp. z o.o. participates in the international research and innovation project OPTIMINER, funded under the Horizon Europe programme. The project focuses on the development of innovative technologies enabling more efficient and sustainable recovery of critical raw materials and the optimization of mineral processing operations in the mining industry.

Within the project, COMEX is responsible for the development and validation of a coking coal pre-concentration technology for material sourced from Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW) mines. The work is focused on the application of advanced sensor-based sorting technologies, enabling the early rejection of waste material before conventional beneficiation processes.

The objective of the research is to improve resource utilization efficiency by reducing the amount of material sent for further processing, lowering energy and water consumption, and minimizing the environmental footprint of the entire processing chain. The developed solutions are expected to enhance the economic performance of mining operations while strengthening the competitiveness of the European raw materials sector.

OPTIMINER includes the development and testing of innovative technological solutions under industrial conditions. The project outcomes will support the implementation of advanced digital technologies and process automation within the mining industry.

The project is carried out by an international consortium of industrial, research, and technology partners from Europe and South America.

Project duration: 2025–2028

Total project budget: EUR 8,384,301

Project funding: EUR 7,298,957

Funding allocated to COMEX Polska: EUR 50,000

Comex Polska Sp. z o.o., as a partner in the EIT RawMaterials (Horizon Europe) funded project, is implementing the project “MineCuON – Mining pre-concentration system for copper ores based on XRT and XRF sensors”.

Within the MineCuON project, Comex Polska Sp. z o.o. acts as the leader of the work packages WP2 – Communication, Dissemination and Market Awareness, WP4 – Analytical Studies on Material Classification and Recognition Using XRT and XRF Sensors, and WP6 – Pilot Sorting Tests, focusing on the dissemination of project results, the development of analysis technologies and algorithms, and the validation of sorting processes at laboratory, semi-industrial and pilot scales.

Project summary:

Development of a system using advanced sensor-based sorting technologies based on XRT (X-Ray Transmission) and XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) analysis. The aim of the project is to increase the energy and economic efficiency of copper ore mining and processing operations by rejecting waste rock and low-grade material at an early stage of the technological process.

Within the project, intelligent solutions using advanced image analysis, artificial intelligence and multi-sensor sorting systems are being developed, enabling the efficient processing of ores with varying mineralogical and lithological characteristics. Research will be carried out on copper ores originating from different regions of Europe, allowing the development of universal sorting models that can be implemented under different geological and technological conditions.

The expected outcomes of the project include:
• reduction of the amount of waste directed for further processing by more than 15%,
• reduction of energy consumption in beneficiation processes by 20–30%,
• reduction of CO₂ emissions by 20–40%,
• improvement of the quality of feed directed to flotation,
• reduction of material transport and processing costs,
• reduction of water consumption and flotation reagents.

MineCuON is aligned with the strategic objectives of the European Union related to raw material security, the energy transition and the development of sustainable and low-emission mining. The project also supports the implementation of innovative digital technologies and process automation in the mining industry.

The project consortium consists of:
• KGHM CUPRUM sp. z o.o. – Research and Development Centre (project leader),
• COMEX Polska sp. z o.o.,
• KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.,
• Central Mining Institute – National Research Institute,
• Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals,
• Technical University of Kosice.

Project duration:
1 July 2025 – 30 June 2027

Project budget:
total project value: €1,992,735
including the budget of Comex Polska sp. z o.o.: €699,546

Funding rate:
90%

We invite you to visit the project website: https://minecuon.eu/ and follow us on the MineCuON LinkedIn channel.

Comex Polska sp. z o.o. is implementing the project “REESTART – Development of a method for the preliminary processing of rare earth element (REE) ores through separation using advanced imaging methods supported by AI algorithms” as part of the European Funds for a Modern Economy 2021–2027 (FENG) program. ”

The project includes two planned tasks:

1. Industrial research aimed at developing effective, precise, and scalable analytical and testing methods, based on the imaging technologies used (Gamma, XRT, XRF, UV, VIS-NIR, SWIR, MWIR) along with computational methods for identifying and classifying ores containing rare earth elements (REE) for the purposes of further pre-concentration and sorting stages.

2. Development work resulting in the development and validation of a technology for sorting rare earth element (REE) ores under simulated conditions approximating real-world conditions.

As part of the project, an innovative sorter will be developed, equipped with digital, automated, and adaptive technology for the pre-concentration of rare earth element (REE) ores, based on integrated imaging methods and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.

The target group consists of mining and extraction companies exploiting rare earth element (REE) deposits, entities involved in the processing and enrichment of metal ores, companies operating on anthropogenic deposits and mining waste, manufacturers and integrators of production lines in the raw materials sector, as well as research institutions and technology centers conducting work on critical raw materials.

The project will result in the development of a globally innovative technology for the preconcentration of rare earth element (REE) ores, integrated with advanced imaging methods and artificial intelligence algorithms. An industrial sorter will be developed to identify, classify, and effectively separate various types of REE ores, enabling the production of a preconcentrate with a higher content of rare earth elements. The project will result in increased efficiency of enrichment processes, reduced raw material losses, lower operating costs, and the preparation of a solution for industrial implementation (TRL 8).

Project value: PLN 9,481,158.40

Contribution from European Funds: PLN 6,702,242.05

#EUFunds #EuropeanFunds

Comex Polska sp. z o.o., as part of the “European Funds for Małopolska 2021–2027” program, Measure 1.1 Research and Development Projects of Enterprises, is implementing the project “Development, construction, and demonstration of a prototype multi-fraction sorter for the selective recycling of mixed scrap, electronic scrap, and demolition scrap.”

Four tasks are planned as part of the project:

1. Development of the analysis module for the recycling separator prototype

2. Development of the separation module for the recycling separator prototype

3. Development of technology for the analysis and separation of metal, electronic, and construction scrap

4. Demonstration of technology for sorting metal, electronic, and construction scrap.

The project will result in a product innovation—a multi-fraction sorter for the selective recycling of mixed scrap, electronic scrap, and demolition scrap.

The target group consists of companies and institutions involved in the management and processing of various types of waste, both in Poland and in foreign markets.

The application of the project’s results will enable the implementation of a multi-fraction sorter capable of simultaneously identifying multiple quality classes of recyclable materials and selectively separating them in a single feed cycle. The technology will be applied in the recycling of mixed scrap (ZORBA), electrical and electronic waste (WEEE), batteries and accumulators, and construction and demolition waste (CDW), addressing the growing demand for the recovery of critical raw materials. The project will result in the development and validation of a prototype device utilizing integrated imaging technologies (XRT, XRF, 3D, VIS-NIR, SWIR) and proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms, enabling the separation of at least 8 fractions in a single operating cycle. The result will be a commercial-ready technology that increases the efficiency of raw material recovery and reduces operating costs compared to current cascade solutions.

Project value: PLN 10,713,837.50

Contribution from European Funds: PLN 7,503,256.25

#EUFunds #EuropeanFunds

Comex Polska sp. z o. o., as part of the European Funds for Małopolska 2021-2027 program, Measure 1.1 Research and development projects of enterprises, is implementing the project “Development and demonstration of the modular technology of a sorter for the separation of mineral resources, in the form of a mobile mineral enrichment plant”.

Four tasks have been planned as part of the project:

Research on the development of the concept of key technology elements regarding the prototype construction project
Launching the prototype and research on the behavior of the installation in laboratory conditions reproducing real conditions
Demonstration of the prototype in real conditions (works related to the sorting of minerals on mining dumps, in two external locations)
Implementation of research results

A product innovation will be created as part of the project – a modular structure of a sorter for the separation of mineral resources, in the form of portable containers creating a mobile mineral enrichment plant, dedicated to the effective disposal of mining dumps.

The target group are mines and companies and institutions involved in the reclamation of spoil heaps in Poland and abroad.

The application of the project results will allow for a faster and easier decision regarding the demolition of spoil heaps, through the use of the developed technology without the need to build infrastructure. The innovation related to the mobility and autonomy of the installation results from the idea of ​​the project of the container construction of a sorter for mineral raw materials, classifying grains based on a combination of X-ray analysis XRT_DE and optical VIS-NIR, equipped with a compressor and a power generator, supported by peripheral devices such as: a hopper, dust removal system, feeding and receiving conveyor belts, managed by a control and monitoring system together with the regulation of the feed rate depending on the rejected fraction in order to ensure optimal working conditions, reduce air consumption, and thus energy.

The value of the project is: PLN 8,913,927.00
The amount of the contribution from European Funds: PLN 5,285,685.22.

Comex Polska sp. z o. o., as part of the European Funds for Małopolska 2021-2027 program, Measure 1.2 Innovation vouchers for SMEs, is implementing a project titled “Development of a system for interpreting hyperspectral data, while maintaining the time regime”

The project has planned the following task:

Purchase of research and development services related to the development of a new innovative product “a system for interpreting hyperspectral data, while maintaining the time regime”.

Due to the nature of the physical phenomenon used, hyperspectral technology has quickly become an important milestone in the development of many technologies in the world in recent years and continues its expansion in a wide range of applications from medicine to environmental research. The complexity and large amount of data generated requires advanced and efficient acquisition and analysis systems. All this translates into high implementation costs

The aim of the project is to develop a system for interpreting hyperspectral data, while maintaining the time regime, which will allow for the effective use of hyperspectral sensors, enriching the possibilities of qualitative analysis of mineral raw materials due to their physicochemical properties, enabling their separation, as a consequence of the implementation of a new innovative product using an analysis system equipped with hyperspectral sensors working effectively in real time. The product planned for implementation is a hyperspectral data analysis module that allows for effective isolation of critical features of materials in mineral processing or recycling, most often for the purpose of sorting them.

The result of the project will be a hardware module responsible for the acquisition of hyperspectral data, its analysis and synchronization with the sorting system. Ultimately, the modern solution will be available to customers of the company in Poland and abroad.

The value of the project is: PLN 369,000.00
The amount of the contribution from European Funds: PLN 255,000.00.

Comex Polska sp. z o. o., as part of the European Funds for Małopolska 2021-2027 program, Measure 1.2 Innovation vouchers for SMEs, is implementing a project entitled “Development of a quantitative and qualitative analysis system for mining output fed to belt conveyors, based on the response from optical systems”.

The project includes the following tasks:

Purchase of research and development services related to the development of a new innovative product, “quantitative and qualitative analysis system for mining output fed to belt conveyors, based on the response from optical systems”.

The target market for the new product is the mining, mineral, processing, recycling, transport and other industries, in which it is necessary to determine the mass flow of material or individual objects together with the measurement of their size.

The aim of the project is to build a simple, cheap and at the same time effective system for measuring mass and grain composition, which can be easily installed above a belt conveyor in almost any industrial conditions. This will allow for the optimization of accompanying production processes, which will translate into improved quality of manufactured materials, lower costs, reduced energy consumption and reduced environmental pollution.

The result of the project will be the implementation of a new product – a system for measuring grain composition, which can be used in many branches of industry and at its various stages (e.g. mining: transport, crushing, sorting, mixing) and in all laboratory systems, where current solutions involve manual determination of grain composition and mass flow.

Project value: PLN 246,000.00
Amount of co-financing from European Funds: PLN 170,000.00.