UNEXMIN at the Raw Materials Week 2019 – a success story

The UNEXMIN project was chosen to be represented during this year Raw Materials Week, one of the most relevant geoscientific events, bringing together people from different parts of Europe, to discuss the state of the mineral raw materials in Europe.

UNEXMIN was represented in two different ways. First, with a presentation given by the project coordinator, Norbert Zajzon, during under session 1 “Raw materials extraction”, a talk that was inserted onto the topic “Horizon 2020 Technology Success Stories”. As referred previously, UNEXMIN is currently seen by EASME as a successful story in the mineral raw materials group. Second, the UX-1 robot, that same robot that dived in 5 different test sites around Europe, was showcased during the first day of the event, the 18th of November.

Both dissemination activities developed by the UNEXMIN partners during the Raw Materials Week 2019 proven to be very effective to reach one of UNEXMIN’s main stakeholders group: the raw materials and geoscientific communities. Comproving this statement is the number of people that visited the UNEXMIN stand, talked to UNEXMIN staff on duty and that took pictures with the UX-1 robot. A number of business contacts were also made, taking into consideration the future of the UNEXMIN technology, which will see further light with a new technology upscalling project and with UNEXMIN GeoRobotics, a joint company that will exploit the service to the market.

The UNEXMIN team would like to thank EASME and DG Grow for this special invitation and hope that in the future the project can be, once again, showcased to the raw materials public.

Photo credit: Raw Materials Week

The UX-1 robot will be presented at the Raw Materials Week 2019

The UNEXMIN project might be over, but communication and dissemination activities are still going on. UNEXMIN was invited by the Raw Materials Week 2019 organizers to make a presentation on the project as well as displaying one of the UX-1 robots that represent the technology line developed over the past 4 years.

The UNEXMIN talk will be inserted onto the topic “Horizon 2020 Technology Success Stories” under session 1 “Raw materials extraction” and the UX-1 robot will be displayed just next to the registration desk. These events will be held on the first day of this weekly event, on Monday 18th. Norbert Zajzon will make the presentation about UNEXMIN and project representatives will be showcasing the UX-1 robot during the whole day.

If you are present in the Raw Materials Week 2019 do not forget to come and meet the UNEXMIN team while learning more about the results and outcomes of this innovative Horizon 2020 project and how this technology can help to shape the future of the raw materials exploration and exploitation activities in Europe.

The closure of the UNEXMIN H2020 project

UNEXMIN – Underwater Explorer for Flooded Mines – started in February 2016 and, after almost 4 years of progress, ends this October 31st. In the end the project has achieved what it promissed, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of European partners. The outcomes include, among others, the UX-1 prototypes, a new technology line made available to explorer flooded mines in a secure, cost efficient way and a robust and unique Inventory of Flooded Mines in Europe.

However, and despite the official closure of the UNEXMIN project naming, the team will continue to develop and perfect the technology to the needs of the market and customers. For this, a brand new project, that will bring the UX-1 technology line closer to the market is on the pipeline. Also, a joint company, supported by UNEXMIN’s partners will exploit the technology – and it is available for work!

Find below some of the most important achievements of the UNEXMIN project, if you want an overview of what the team has done and reached over the past 45 months.

Please continue to follow the UNEXMIN website for further news, as well as the social media channels. They will be kept alive with information whenever possible: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Last but not least, the UNEXMIN team would like thank all of those who followed the project, who supported the development of the technology and who contributed to make UNEXMIN a reality and a success story in the European Raw Materials panorama.

For any inquiry, about the project and/or any business opportunity, please do not hesitate to contact the project team through the Contact form.

UNEXMIN joins PIPEBOTS and ROBOMINERS for a Joint Workshop

On the 17th of October 2019, the UNEXMIN, PIPEBOTS and ROBOMINERS projects organised a joint robotics workshop to discuss common challenges, find similarities and deliver plans for future collaboration.

First the three projects were present by their respective coordinators, which allowed all the participants to get a better understanding on the scope and worklines of each consortia. To this, a series of talks and discussions were held and it was during these that common challenges were found and ways for collaboration agreed upon. The 4 discussion themes focussed on 1) Robotics, 2) Sensing, 3) SLAM/Navigation and 4) Communications.

Before the end of the event Intellectual Property Rights issues, joint publications and even possible joint projects were discussed.

The three projects, including UNEXMIN (that despite ending soon wants to continue development), decided to meet again for more joint workshops following the success of this first attempt.

Time to wrap up and share results

After a 4-year journey, that started in the beginning of 2016, it is now time to finalise the UNEXMIN project. The results and outcomes from this innovative project are being put together, reports written, and the future decided. UNEXMIN officially ends on the 31st of October, but the project is going to stick around – although with a different look.

UNEXMIN has developed three robots, tested the technology in 5 trials around Europe, created a very comprehensive Inventory of Flooded Mines in Europe, produced dissemination material, organised a Final Conference and much more during the project lifetime. The consortium did its best to deliver what was promissed and the results and outcomes prove its success – UNEXMIN was recently considered a “H2020 success story”.

The project will end at the end of October, but until then there is still a lot to be done. Most notably, the consortium will deliver these reports:

  • Physical and VR models
  • Technology brokerage workshop
  • Research Roadmap
  • Project reports

A list of publicly available reports can be consulted and downloaded here.

After the official deadline, UNEXMIN will still be around, although with a different name. There is room and willingness to continue to develop the innovative exploration technology and the UX-1 robots while expanding the market for the technology there will be offered as a service. For this effect, a joint company was already created – UNEXMIN GeoRobotics.