Overview
Minerals4EU was a European Union-funded initiative that created an EU Minerals Intelligence Network and a centralised digital platform for harmonised mineral resource data across Europe. The tool provided access to spatial and statistical information on mineral occurrences, mines and resources. Finance professionals may find it relevant for assessing resource supply, policy impacts and long-term commodity trends.
Organisation behind the tool
Minerals4EU was developed under the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme, coordinated by the Geological Survey of Finland in partnership with 31 organisations from 26 European countries. It contributed to the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials and was linked to EuroGeoSurveys.
What the tool does
• Provided a web portal and European Minerals Knowledge Data Platform with harmonised mineral resource data.
• Included spatial information on mineral occurrences and known mines across EU member states.
• Offered a European Minerals Yearbook with statistical data and analyses of raw materials.
• Supported foresight studies on mineral supply and demand.
• Enabled integrated access to data from national geological surveys and related projects via an INSPIRE-compatible infrastructure.
Target audience
Primary users included policymakers, national and regional authorities, geological survey organisations and researchers. Other audiences comprised industry stakeholders, environmental planners, academics and the general public seeking structured information on European mineral resources.
Relevance to finance professionals
Risk assessment
• Helps evaluate exposure to resource supply shortages and geopolitical dependencies.
• Supports understanding of long-term availability of primary and secondary raw materials.
ESG analysis
• Offers data relevant to environmental planning and sustainable resource management.
• Can inform reporting on material sourcing and lifecycle impacts.
Market/commodity insights
• Provides an overview of European raw materials distribution and extraction activity.
• Supplies contextual data for commodity supply and demand assessments.
Investment context
• Supports analysis of structural trends in raw materials sectors.
• Offers reference data for evaluating investment opportunities in resource-intensive industries.
The tool’s outputs contribute to informed decision-making on resource security, policy-related impacts and strategic planning in raw materials markets.
