European mineral statistics

European Mineral Statistics provides statistical information about minerals and metals in Europe. It provides the essential background intelligence for any European minerals-related activities.

Production, export and import tables are presented for all EU members and EU candidate countries, plus Norway and Switzerland, in two sections:

by individual country
by commodity, with bullets on salient features and graphics

Fluorspar – EU36 trade 2014 graph, BGS©NERC,BGS©NERC. Click to enlarge.

Fluorspar – EU36 trade 2014 graph, BGS©NERC. Click to enlarge.

More than 70 different mineral commodities are included from Aluminium to Zirconium, plus statistics relating to primary aggregates and cement.

The book also includes commentary discussing the different categories of minerals – construction minerals, industrial minerals, metals and energy minerals – in the European context and contains general information on the compilation of data.

European Mineral Statistics is available as a free download or to purchase in hard copy from the a BGS online shop.

Optimising data collection for Primary and Secondary Raw Materials (ORAMA)

BGS is participating in the ORAMA project, funded by the European Union 7th Framework Programme, and scheduled to run from December 2017 to December 2019.

The ORAMA project focuses on optimising data collection for primary and secondary raw materials in Member States. ORAMA will identify the best practices in collecting information on raw materials and seeks solutions to the harmonisation of statistics between primary production and flows of secondary metals. Although the importance of recycling continues to grow, it can never fully substitute for the primary production from mines.

BGS's work on the project is focused on statistical data for primary minerals and aims to address some of the major challenges regarding the EU knowledge base relating to the quality and harmonisation of collected data with particular emphasis on:

Analysis of data collection methods used within the countries of Europe, including the examination of recommendations made during previous projects, to identify good practice and training needs
Making progress towards the standardisation of statistical data for resources and reserves
Examination of the available data concerning the social and environmental aspects of extraction
The development of technical guidelines and training materials to assist with the improvement of the relevant statistical datasets.

For more information about the ORAMA project see the project webpage: https://orama-h2020.eu/

If you are interested in receiving regular updates about the project's progress you can sign up here: https://orama-h2020.eu/stakeholder-registration/

Minerals Intelligence Network for Europe (Minerals4EU)

From September 2013 to August 2015, BGS participated in the Minerals4EU project funded by the European Union 7th Framework Programme. This project was designed to contribute towards the recommendations of the EU's Raw Materials Initiative and has delivered a web portal with spatial data on Europe's mineral resources, the most comprehensive European Minerals Yearbook ever produced and a foresight study. These deliverables can be accessed on this link: http://minerals4eu.brgm-rec.fr/. The project team has also put in place a Minerals4EU Foundation which, together with its associated Network, aims to continue to develop this work.

Building on their existing experience in collecting worldwide mineral production and trade statistics, BGS led the Work Package which developed the Yearbook. In addition to production and trade figures, the Yearbook includes available data relating to resources, reserves and exploration data for primary minerals, together with information relating to secondary raw materials. This Yearbook was published by August 2015 and is accessible from the above link.

Additional information relating to the project overall can be found at: www.minerals4eu.eu