Mining cluster Castilla y León
About this good practice
The Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) arises in July 2018 from the need of several Spanish mining companies to get new business opportunities and technical solutions to take advantage of the great mineral richness of the different regions of the Iberian Peninsula and their exploitation potential. This is especially true for those regions were coal mining has been the main activity for the last decades and now are in decline. Finding social, economic and environmentally sustainable solutions for the development of these regions is one of the main objectives of this cluster.
The ISMC brings together more than 40 leading companies in the mining and metallurgical sectors, including the whole value chain, with the aim of joining forces to consolidate a highly strategic sector for the European economy.
In this context, ISMC good practice lies mainly in its main objectives, which are:
•To boost the mining sector and its associated services through cooperation between companies and institutions
•To promote sustainable growth in the regions in which the cluster is active
•To foster networking and match-making activities amongst its members
•Attract business and commercial opportunities through internationalization
•To encourage technological innovation through shared R&D activities
Resources needed
Having started its activities in July 2018, first assessments of the resources needed are still ongoing. In the short term, members are committed to provide as much resources as needed to put in place first actions and start the cluster main lines of work.
Evidence of success
In just a few months the ISMC has gathered more than 40 companies, with national and international scope and expertise in all mining activities across the value chain: exploration, extraction, processing and recycling, production and analysis and other sustainability associated services.
The cluster has already developed a strategic plan, including:
-Dynamization, promotion, and improvement of competitiveness in mining activities
-Business development
-Communication and social accept
Potential for learning or transfer
The ISMC is in a very early stage at the moment. However, its main objective is to become an example of how the mining sector can come together and focus on mutual benefits through cooperation and collaboration between companies from the whole value chain and regional, national and European institutions. As such, we are committed to create a thriving ecosystem for business opportunities, easily transferrable to any other European region.
Good practice owner
International Center for Advanced Materials and Raw Materials of Castilla y Leon
