preloader

General Information about the Programe

NSP CSRM 2024 - 2029

Critical and Strategic Raw Materials for Green Transition and Sustainable Development

The National Scientific Program "Critical and Strategic Raw Materials for Green Transition and Sustainable Development" was approved by Council of Ministers Decision No. 508/18.06.2024 and funded by the Ministry of Education and Science (Agreement No. DO1-206/08.11.2024)

Leading organization

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Duration

2024 - 2029

Budget

8 500 000 BGN

Partners

Partner Scientific Network

The programme is implemented with the participation of leading research institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, universities, and national organizations, bringing together expertise from the natural, technical, social, and economic sciences.

Objectives and Scope of the Programme

Program objective

Undertaking fundamental and applied scientific research aimed at assessing Bulgaria’s potential for critical and strategic raw materials. This encompasses geological exploration, environmentally sustainable extraction, and the efficient processing of: (1) primary natural resources, through the application of innovative methodologies and the recovery of principal and associated minerals; (2) processing residues, including those derived from both existing and prospective deposits of critical raw materials; and (3) secondary resources originating from recycling practices. The research further includes evaluation of the social impacts associated with the utilization of raw materials, as well as the development of strategies for mitigating and preventing the adverse effects of their extraction and processing on the environment – specifically on water, soils, river sediments, and air.

Specific Objectives:

  • Development and/or adoption of methodologies and the implementation of reliable, comprehensive, and detailed investigations of: (1) primary mineral resources; (2) waste generated from mining and processing activities of primary resources; (3) environmental quality in areas affected by mining and processing activities, and its implications for quality of life and human health risks; (4) regional and local geological conditions and ore-forming processes to assess the potential for critical and strategic raw materials (CSRM); (5) environmental risks and impacts on ecosystem functioning as components of sustainable and favourable living environment; (6) societal responses and adaptation, as a key to understanding current social challenges in mining and exploration regions in Bulgaria and to reliably forecast future transformations.
  • Development, laboratory validation, and application of innovative methods for the exploration, extraction, and processing of raw materials; formulation of long-term strategies, monitoring, and prevention of adverse environmental impacts; optimization and resolution of socio-economic challenges in mining regions of Bulgaria through the mitigation of negative effects and the enhancement of positive outcomes for society.
  • Advancement of the qualifications of scientists and researchers, accompanied by the provision of modern research infrastructure.
  • Wide dissemination of the outcomes of scientific research activities.
  • Transfer of knowledge to the relevant governing bodies, including the development of scientifically grounded strategies and programs for sustainable management.
  • Promotion of multidisciplinary partnerships among research teams with diverse scientific expertise.

NSP CSRM 2024 - 2029

Aknowledgments

This work has been carried out in the framework of the National Science Program "Critical and strategic raw materials for a green transition and sustainable development", approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers № 508/18.07.2024 and funded by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) of Bulgaria.

Work Packages

Thematic and Horizontal Work Packages

The work packages structure the programme’s research activities into clearly defined thematic and horizontal strands, covering the entire research cycle—from resource exploration to sustainable use, environmental impacts, and socio-economic effects.

This work package will implement activities to clarify the presence and reassess the possibilities for accumulating significant quantities of CSRM, both as incidental useful components in our known types of deposits, and for discovering new types of deposits and occurrences of raw materials. Based on the current knowledge of the generation of various types of deposits and using modern analytical equipment, geological areas with high potential for new discoveries of critical and strategic raw materials will be identified. Results from this package will be applied to develop appropriate processing and extraction technologies in WP1.4.

This work package includes activities for reassessing the regional geological setting of the metallogenic zones, the structural control and the magmatic-hydrothermal systems associated with the CSRM based on existing and new investigations. Regional-structural-metallogenic, petrological, geochemical, geochronological, geophysical and remote sensing studies will be applied, which will allow for a comprehensive assessment and the delineation of areas with specific deposits of CSRM. Modern analytical methods will allow for in-depth exploration of a large part of the processes that lead to the separation and accumulation of individual deposits of CSRM. The data will be processed with specialized programs, and spatial and geochemical correlations will be derived; in some cases spatial modelling will be possible.

The scientific results from this package will be used for updating strategic documents related to securing Bulgaria's energy independence (e.g. INPEC; chapter 2.3 "Energy Security Measurements"); for an up-to-date assessment of the country's resources; and for the development of ecological and low-emission technologies for the production of the energy necessary for the exploration, extraction and recycling of critical raw materials and, for this reason, for the implementation of the transition to mass use of reusable energy technologies.

The work package brings together research activities aimed at developing sustainable, innovative, and clean technologies for the efficient extraction and processing of critical and strategic raw materials in Bulgaria, as well as assessing their economic feasibility. The tasks planned for implementation will contribute to progress in the field of extraction and processing of mineral raw materials through the development of scientific and applied research and the development of resource innovations, including the creation of clean, safe and sustainable technologies for the efficient use of resources and materials. These modern methods are based on joint and interdisciplinary scientific and applied scientific approaches with feasibility proven through publications and applied innovative technologies.

The extraction of CSRM from waste is a promising field, which is in line with a number of EU regulations related to the sustainable use of raw materials and waste, securing critical and strategic mineral raw materials, as well as implementing green transition and circular economy models in Europe. Tasks in four main areas have been planned: (1) Solid fuels and waste from their combustion; (2) Waste from mining and metallurgical activities; (3) Green technologies for the extraction of critical and strategic raw materials; (4) Stabilization of industrial waste containing critical and strategic elements.

Sustainable development is the process of restructuring economic, social, and technical relations in order to preserve the natural and human environment for present and future generations. It includes: sustainable use of natural resources and critical and strategic raw materials; restoration and maintenance of the integrity of ecological processes and ecosystems; preservation and protection of ecosystems and their inherent biological diversity; protecting and improving human health, informing citizens about the state of the environment; restoring and improving the quality of the environment in polluted and damaged areas; integrating environmental protection policy into sectoral and regional policies for economic and social development.

The specific research activities undertaken in the preceding work packages, aimed at facilitating the large-scale deployment of green technologies in modern economies and the introduction of environmentally sustainable production practices across key industrial sectors, remain largely unknown to the public. To address this shortfall, Work Package 7 will mitigate the knowledge deficit through targeted research and outreach initiatives, highlighting the necessity for critical and strategic raw materials and demonstrating their economic, social, and environmental benefits for society. Particular attention will be given to the socio-psychological and societal context within which the extraction and utilization of critical and strategic raw materials will unfold. The knowledge generated will serve as the basis for developing tailored communication messages for the Bulgarian public, aiming at creating a favorable societal environment that supports and encourages activities related to the sustainable extraction and utilization of critical and strategic raw materials.

Cross-cutting Work Packages

This work package is intended to support all relevant WPs in two main dimensions: (1) The research will make use of the most comprehensive set of data available from national and international sources. The comparison and joint analysis of diverse input/output multidimensional datasets will only be feasible through the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related technologies, which will constitute an integral part of the unified geoinformation environment; (2) The research will be carried out using state-of-the-art methodologies.

All research activities will be conducted in line with the latest scientific standards and by applying best practices in the study of mineral and energy resources, as well as in environmental protection. This requires intensive international cooperation, primarily along with research institutions from EU Member States, but also with other leading scientific organizations worldwide. The cooperation will include short-term visits of programme participants to leading research institutions abroad and reciprocal visits of foreign researchers in Bulgaria; the development of joint projects; training of young researchers through scientific exchange; co-supervised doctoral studies; participation in international scientific events, and other related activities.

All major activities within the programme will be systematically communicated on a dedicated website. The results, approaches, and methods generated in the framework of the programme will be made openly accessible to various research communities.