DIGIECOQUARRY project kicks off

During the past few days 2 and 3 June 2021 took place the launch meeting of the new project ".INNOVATIVE DIGITAL SUSTAINABLE AGGREGATES SYSTEMS - 'DIGIECOQUARRY'".which is funded under the EU Horizon 2020 programme (No 101003750), and aims to design, develop and validate in 5 pilot environments an innovative quarry operation system (IQS) comprising sensors, processes, tools and data capture, processing and exchange methods to provide integrated, digitised, automatic and real-time process control information for aggregate quarries.

The consortium DIGIECOQUARRY will combine the latest researched and advanced technologies applied to quarrying together with the integration of selected innovative digital solutions to boost the capacity of the aggregates industry, improve worker health and safety conditions, improve the selectivity and efficiency of aggregate extraction sites, maximise sustainability and resource efficiency in quarry operations and foster Social Acceptance.

Over the next 4 years, the 25 partners and the outstanding professional team of nearly 100 experts involved in the project will carry out a lot of hard work. Led by the National Association of Aggregates Manufacturers (ANEFA), this international project brings together 25 partners from Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Colombia and South Africa.

Due to the current pandemic situation, the meeting was held telematically. It was attended by more than 70 people from all the entities that make up the consortium:

• Quarries (Granulats Vicat, Hanson Hispania SA, Holcim Aggregati, Calcestruzzi SRL, Cronenberger Steinindustrie Franz Triches GmbH & Co, Agrepor Agregados - Extracção de Inertes, S.A)
• Technology and mining companies (Sandvik Mining and Construction OY, Metso Outotec Finland OY, Maxamcorp International S.L., ITK Engineering GMBH, Akka High Tech, Arco Electrónica SA, Ma-estro SRL, DOHMEN HERZOG & Partner GmbH, Abaut GmbH, Sigma Technologies S.L.U., Mintek, ROCTIM AB)
• Consulting companies (APP Consultoría de Gestión de Proyectos SL, Zabala Innovation Consulting SA)
• Academies (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Montanuniversität Leoben, Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola AB)
• Other entities (Asociación Colombiana de Productores de Agregados Pétreos, Consejería de Industria, Empleo y Promoción Económica del Principado de Asturias).

On this first day, the work plans for the next 6 months of half of the working groups were presented, culminating in a virtual cocktail in which attendees were able to network and get to know each other.