Reminlaser
Surveying critical raw materials with a laser-based instrument from a drone
REMINLASER is a research project focused on the remote and safe assessment of critical raw materials (CRMs) in abandoned mining waste facilities. The project develops and validates a laser-based analytical methodology deployed from an unmanned aerial platform, enabling high-density geochemical information to be obtained over large and heterogeneous areas without direct human access.
Context
Abandoned mining waste facilities represent hostile and highly heterogeneous environments, where direct sampling and human access are often limited by safety, accessibility and environmental constraints. These sites typically extend over large and topographically complex areas, significantly increasing the time, cost and risk associated with conventional sampling and laboratory-based characterization approaches.
Project framework
REMINLASER is carried out in close collaboration with the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME-CSIC). IGME-CSIC contributes geological expertise, site inventories, sampling strategies and reference geochemical data, while the Laser Sensing Group develops the laser-based instrumentation, data acquisition strategies and advanced data analysis workflows. This collaboration ensures that the developed methodology responds to real geological and environmental needs and aligns with national and European priorities in mining waste management.
Challenge
Mining waste materials are chemically complex and highly heterogeneous, often containing elements of interest at low concentrations and with strong spatial variability. Many critical raw materials do not exhibit direct or interference-free spectral signatures, making their quantification particularly challenging under field conditions. An effective solution must therefore operate remotely, scale to large surface areas and extract quantitative information from indirect or correlated signals.
Conceptual workflow
Conceptual workflow of the REMINLASER methodology, from stand-off laser acquisition to data processing and validated outputs.
Instrumentation approach
REMINLASER builds upon the Chemocopter platform, adapting a mature laser-based analytical system to the specific requirements of mining waste characterization. The approach combines stand-off, non-contact laser analysis, a compact and robust instrument architecture suitable for drone deployment, advanced multivariate data analysis and the integration of geo-referenced measurements. The instrument, analytical workflow and data interpretation are conceived as a single integrated system designed for large-scale assessment.
Results to date
As the project reaches its completion phase, REMINLASER has established and validated a robust analytical methodology for the quantification of critical raw materials in complex mining waste matrices.
Through the integration of laser-based measurements with advanced data-driven analytical strategies, REMINLASER has demonstrated that robust quantitative information can be extracted from complex and heterogeneous mining waste materials. The approach has been developed and validated using extensive laboratory characterization and independent reference geochemical datasets provided by IGME-CSIC, with results benchmarked against established analytical techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
These results define a solid analytical framework suitable for future large-area surveys and operational deployment, providing a validated basis for scaling the approach beyond laboratory conditions.
Applications and impact
REMINLASER introduces a new operational approach for the rapid and safe assessment of mining waste materials as potential secondary sources of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). By enabling remote, high-density geochemical screening over large and heterogeneous areas, the methodology supports early-stage decision-making, helps prioritize sites with recovery potential and reduces the cost, time and exposure associated with conventional sampling campaigns.
The project is directly aligned with the objectives of the European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), addressing the strategic need for scalable technologies capable of identifying and evaluating secondary CRM resources within the European territory. REMINLASER contributes to this framework by providing a first-level field screening layer that remains compatible with established analytical workflows, guiding subsequent detailed laboratory characterization while minimizing unnecessary data acquisition.
Given the strategic relevance of CRM-related information, both the analytical methodologies developed and the spatial attribution of results are subject to protection. For this reason, project outcomes have not been disseminated through scientific journals or other public channels. This approach preserves intellectual property, safeguards the confidentiality of site-specific information and supports future technological development, transfer and follow-up research initiatives.
Status
Final reporting and consolidation of results ongoing.