Rocks and Minerals, Society and Life Project

The project is structured around four working areas (Education, Image and Dissemination, Sustainability and Social Relations, and Optimisation and Coordination) and consists of the following goals and actions:

• Educational, Training, and Cultural Actions: These aim to inform, explain, and raise awareness in schools, colleges, universities, forums, and other platforms. The target audiences include student groups and society at large, highlighting the importance of Spain’s rock and mineral raw materials industry, its contribution to sustainability, and its role in improving the quality of life for current and future generations.
• Generation of Environmental and Social Value: This is focused on the activities of companies within Spain’s rock and mineral raw materials industry, based on the principles of sustainable development, social responsibility, governance and transparency policies, and the application of advanced ethical principles. The objective is for their behaviour to serve as an example to the extractive sector and society of the benefits that come with integrating sustainable development into business management.
• Initiatives to Support Global Goals: These include contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the European Green Deal, efforts to prevent and combat climate change, ensuring a just transition, and promoting digitalisation.
• Actions to Support Rural Spain: This involves stabilising the population in areas facing demographic challenges and promoting equality in all its forms.
• Promotion of Business Leadership: This is aimed at the sustainable development of businesses through the creation of forums, educational and training activities, as well as sector-related image, communication, dissemination, and promotion efforts, both within and outside companies.
• Continuous Improvement in Practices: Promoting continuous improvement in environmental, social, and governance practices within Spain’s rock and mineral raw materials industry. This includes fostering respect for and care of nature, particularly biodiversity, air and water quality, and circular economy. It also involves promoting the knowledge, adoption, and implementation of environmental measures that contribute to the compatibility of natural environment conservation with the sustainable exploitation and management of geological resources, including critical and strategic raw materials.
• Research and Study Activities: These focus on the role of Spain’s rock and mineral raw materials industry in economic and social growth, derived from the improvement of applied technologies and business practices, and the creation of services in a developed society. The emphasis is on their impact on effectively improving citizens’ quality of life, environmental impact, and social and cultural cohesion.
• Cultural Activities: These are related to historical or current Mining Heritage and Geological Heritage, promoting their knowledge and conservation.
• Improvement of Safety and Health Conditions: This is focused on enhancing the safety and health conditions, as well as the quality of life of workers and citizens living near raw material industries.
• Promotion of Mining and Geology Professions: Increasing awareness of the professions of Mining Engineering and Geology within society, particularly among future university graduates in these fields.
• Exchange of Experiences: Facilitating the exchange of experiences between companies and institutions.
• Evaluation of Public Opinion: Assessing the evolution of public opinion on areas of interest related to Spain’s rock and mineral raw materials industry, in collaboration with specialised institutions and public administration.