Researchers are hereby encouraged to apply for the ERA-MIN Call that is currently open to all South African researchers. The South African Department of Science and Technology is a funding partner in ERA-MIN project. ERA-MIN is an ERA-NET program on the Industrial Handling of Raw Materials for European industries and is supported by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). It is aimed at setting up networks and mechanisms to foster research in the field of industrial production and supply of raw materials, in line with the “EU Raw Materials Initiative”. The objective of ERA-MIN is to foster coordinated research on the entire raw materials value chain. To achieve this ERA-MIN work is dived in to three main tasks and they are:
- Mapping and networking the European non-energy mineral raw materials research community;
- Road-mapping research priorities; and
- Implementing joint actions and, especially, a joint call.
ERA-MIN has opened a Joint Call to support needs-driven, transnational research projects on sustainable supply of non-energy raw materials in Europe. The indicative total available budget is in excess of 7.800.000 € (national public funding only) for funding of research projects that clearly demonstrate potential to contribute to a sustainable supply of resources for the European industries, along the non-energy raw materials value chain.
The research and technological development (RTD) topics to be funded under the this ERA-MIN Joint Call addresses all aspects of the non-energy raw materials value chain, grouped into three topic areas, as follows:
- Primary resources;
- Secondary resources (recycling); and
- Substitution of critical materials.
The Call for proposals will close on 17 June 2014, at 17.00 CEST.
Queries should be directed to the South African Department of Science and Technology, attention to: Ms. Mabatho Ndwandwa, tel. 012 843 6333, fax. 086 681 0191 or E-mail : Mabatho.Ndwandwa@dst.gov.za. More information on the call can be found in this link: http://www.era-min-eu.org.
