Strategic Projects of the CRMA

Country / jurisdiction: European Union · Year: 2025 · Status: In force · Level: Regional · Type: Voluntary

The European Commission has adopted a list of 47 Strategic Projects aimed at boosting domestic strategic raw material capacities. These projects are crucial for strengthening the European raw materials value chain and diversifying sources of supply. The projects are part of the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which targets European extraction, processing, and recycling of strategic raw materials to meet 10%, 40%, and 25% of the EU's demand by 2030, respectively.

Key Objectives include to:

Enhance the EU's domestic production of strategic raw materials.

Diversify external supply sources.

Support the EU's green and digital transitions.

Strengthen the EU's defence and aerospace industries

The scope and coverage of the selected strategic projects span across 13 EU Member States, including Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Czechia, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Poland, and Romania. These projects cover 14 raw materials:

Lithium (battery grade)

Nickel (battery grade)

Cobalt

Manganese (battery grade)

Graphite (battery grade)

Magnesium

Tungsten

Platinum group metals

Copper

Bauxite/Alumina/Aluminium

Gallium

Rare earth elements for magnets

Boron (metallurgy grade)

Germanium

The types of projects include extraction, processing, recycling and substitution of raw materials. The implementation timeline for these projects begins on 25 March 2025, with an expected completion by 2030. The total capital investment for these projects is estimated at €22.5 billion. The projects will benefit from coordinated support from the Commission, Member States, and financial institutions, including streamlined permitting provisions and access to finance. Furthermore, all projects adhere to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria and demonstrate clear cross-border benefits for the EU.

The strategic projects are as follows:

Ageli : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in France, promoted by Eramet, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Aguablanca : An ongoing extraction project in Spain, promoted by Rio Narcea Recursos S.A., focusing on cobalt, platinum group metals, copper, and nickel (battery grade).

Alpha Project : An ongoing recycling project in Italy, promoted by Solvay Chimica Italia Spa, focusing on platinum group metals.

BAM4EVER (Phase I&II) : An ongoing processing project in France, promoted by Tokai COBEX savoie, focusing on graphite (battery grade).

Barroso Lithium Project : An ongoing extraction project in Portugal, promoted by Savannah Lithium, Unipessoal, Lda., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

BAUX-EU, GALLANT and LEADER : An ongoing integrated project in Greece, promoted by Metlen Energy & Metals and European Bauxites, focusing on bauxite/alumina/aluminium and gallium.

CAREMAG : An ongoing processing project in France, promoted by Caremag SAS, focusing on rare earth elements for magnets and boron (metallurgy grade).

Chvaletice Manganese Project : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Czechia, promoted by Euro Manganese Inc, focusing on manganese (battery grade).

Cínovec lithium project : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Czechia, promoted by Geomet s.r.o., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

CirCular : An ongoing recycling project in Spain, promoted by Atlantic Copper SLU, focusing on copper, nickel, and platinum group metals.

CO2Graphite : An ongoing processing project in Estonia, promoted by UP Catalyst OU, focusing on graphite (battery grade) .

EMILI : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in France, promoted by IMERYS Ceramics France and IMERYS Lithium France, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

European Initiative for Strategic and Sustainable Graphite Production : An ongoing processing project in France, Namibia, and Germany, promoted by NGC Battery Materials GmbH, focusing on graphite (battery grade).

GePETO : An ongoing processing project in Belgium, promoted by Umicore, focusing on germanium.

GALLICAM : An ongoing processing project in France, promoted by Sibanye-Stillwater Sandouville Refinery, focusing on nickel (battery grade), cobalt, lithium (battery grade), graphite (battery grade), manganese (battery grade), and copper.

Hycamite TCD Technologies Ltd : An ongoing processing project in Finland, promoted by Hycamite TCD Technologies Ltd, focusing on graphite (battery grade).

Hydrometallurgy : An ongoing recycling project in France, promoted by Orano Batteries, focusing on lithium (battery grade), cobalt, nickel (battery grade), manganese (battery grade), and graphite (battery grade).

Jervois Finland Cobalt Refinery Expansion Project : An ongoing processing project in Finland, promoted by Jervois Finland Oy, focusing on cobalt .

KELIBER LITHIUM : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Finland, promoted by Keliber Technology Oy, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Kolmisoppi : An ongoing extraction project in Finland, promoted by Terrafame Ltd., focusing on nickel (battery grade) and cobalt.

Las Navas : An ongoing extraction project in Spain, promoted by Lithium Iberia S.L., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

LIFE22-ENV-IT-INSPIREE : An ongoing recycling project in Italy, promoted by Itelyum Regeneration SpA, focusing on rare earth elements for magnets.

Lift One : An ongoing processing project in Portugal, promoted by Lifthium energy S.A., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Lithium Hydroxide Converter Guben : An ongoing processing project in Germany, promoted by Rock Tech Guben GmbH, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

MagFactory : An ongoing recycling project in France, promoted by MagREEsource, focusing on rare earth elements for magnets.

MINA DOADE PROJECT : An ongoing extraction project in Spain, promoted by Recursos Minerales de Galicia S.A., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Mining Project El Moto : An ongoing extraction project in Spain, promoted by Abenojar Tungsten S.L., focusing on tungsten.

NorthCYCLE : An ongoing recycling project in Sweden, promoted by Northvolt Revolt AB, focusing on manganese (battery grade), lithium (battery grade), graphite (battery grade), nickel (battery grade), and cobalt.

Lombador North Phase 2, Semblana and 3rd SILO project : An ongoing integrated project in Portugal, promoted by SOMINCOR, focusing on copper.

P6 Metals : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Spain, promoted by Iberian Resources Spain, focusing on tungsten.

POLVOLT : An ongoing recycling project in Poland, promoted by Elemental Battery Metals SP. z.o.o., focusing on nickel (battery grade), copper, cobalt, lithium (battery grade), platinum group metals, and manganese (battery grade) .

Polymetallic primary sulphide project : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Spain, promoted by Cobre las Cruces S.A.U., focusing on copper .

Portovesme CRM Hub : An ongoing recycling project in Italy, promoted by Portovesme s.r.l., focusing on lithium (battery grade) and manganese (battery grade) .

ProHiPerSi : An ongoing substitution project in Germany, promoted by PCC Thorion GmbH, focusing on the substitution of graphite (battery grade) .

Project Fortum Hydromet : An ongoing recycling project in Finland, promoted by Fortum Battery Recycling Oy, focusing on lithium (battery grade), graphite (battery grade), copper, nickel (battery grade), and cobalt .

Pulawy Rare Earths Separation Plant : An ongoing processing project in Poland, promoted by Mkango Resources Ltd., focusing on rare earth elements for magnets .

RECOVER-IT : An ongoing recycling project in Italy, promoted by Circular Materials s.r.l., focusing on copper, nickel (battery grade), and platinum group metals .

ReeMAP Project: Malmberget, Per Geijer and Lulea Industrial Park : An ongoing integrated project in Sweden, promoted by Luossavaara-Kirunavaara AB (LKAB), focusing on rare earth elements for magnets.

ReGAIN : An ongoing substitution project in Belgium, promoted by Umicore, focusing on the substitution of germanium.

Romano Mine : An ongoing extraction project in Portugal, promoted by Lusorecursos Portugal Lithium S.A., focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Rovina : An ongoing extraction project in Romania, promoted by Euro Sun Mining Inc., focusing on copper.

Sakatti : An ongoing integrated extraction and processing project in Finland, promoted by Anglo American Services (UK) Ltd., focusing on cobalt, platinum group metals, copper, and nickel (battery grade).

SALROM Baia de Fier : An ongoing extraction project in Romania, promoted by Societatea Națională a Sării S.A., focusing on graphite (battery grade).

Talga Natural Graphite ONE : An ongoing extraction project in Sweden, promoted by Talga AB, focusing on graphite (battery grade).

Verde Magnesium : An ongoing extraction project in Romania, promoted by Verde Magnesium SRL, focusing on magnesium metal.

Viridian Lithium : An ongoing processing project in France, promoted by Viridian Lithium, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Zero Carbon Lithium : An ongoing extraction project in Germany, promoted by Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH, focusing on lithium (battery grade).

Official source: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials/strategic-projects-under-crma/selected-projects_en