The second Annual Progress Meeting of the 12 partners of the “MultiMiner” project was successfully completed in early April. The meeting was jointly organized by the Greek partners — the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (EAGME) and Hellas Gold S.A.
The program included presentations, discussions, and working groups aligned with the project’s work packages, as well as field visits to areas where on-site research activities are being conducted.
EAGME was represented by Dr. Konstantinos Laskaridis, Director of the Directorate of Mineral Resources and Mining Activities (DOPME), along with Dr. Marianthi Anastasatou and Dr. Konstantinos Mavrogonatos.
The meeting began on Sunday, April 7, with a field visit to the antimony mineralization site near the village of Nea Kallyntiri (Regional Unit of Rhodope). The EAGME team guided participants through the area, presenting an overview of the known geological and mineralogical data and the work completed so far (e.g., sampling, mineralogical studies, soil geochemical analyses using portable XRF). Participants were also briefed on upcoming activities, including the application of spectroscopic techniques and unmanned aerial systems (UAVs), in collaboration with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources of Germany (BGR).
The Progress Meeting continued at the facilities of Hellas Gold S.A. in Stratoni, Halkidiki (April 8–9, 2024). Across six thematic sessions, the partners presented the project’s progress and discussed various technical issues. At the closing session, Professor Dr. Michael Rast (Director of Earth Sciences, International Space Science Institute – ISSI, Switzerland), representing the project’s Scientific Advisory Board, expressed the committee’s full satisfaction with the project’s advancement and congratulated all consortium partners.
The meeting concluded with a site visit and briefing by Hellas Gold representatives at (a) the Stratoni core sample storage and research facilities, (b) the Kokkinolakkas dry tailings deposit, (c) the Olympias nursery — one of the largest in Southeastern Europe, located within the rehabilitated area of the Olympias mine — and (d) the restoration site of the Olympias tailings deposit.
The MultiMiner project aims to develop innovative tools using satellite data to support the discovery of new Mineral Raw Materials (MRMs), thereby ensuring sustainable resource autonomy within the EU. Beyond improving mining operations, the project enhances transparency, enables early detection of potential environmental impacts, and ensures that valuable digital information on today’s untapped MRMs will remain accessible to future generations.