Searcular Mine

May 14, 2025

The SEArcularMINE project was a European research initiative funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 programme. Its goal was to develop an innovative circular process to recover valuable materials such as magnesium, lithium, and other trace elements from residual brines produced by Mediterranean saltworks.

The project combined advanced separation and recovery technologies with energy production from salinity gradients, using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. The Resource Recovery and Environmental Management (R2EM) group at the Centre for Research in Multiscale Science and Engineering (CCEM) played an active role in the development of technologies for lithium and trace element recovery, contributing significantly to the success of the project. SEArcularMINE successfully concluded in August 2024, demonstrating the potential of saltworks as sustainable sources of critical raw materials for Europe.