Partner roles

Beak Consultants GmbH  is a private service enterprise from Germany providing a large range of services including geological mapping, data processing and mineral potential mapping, prospecting & exploration, permitting of mineral projects, hydrogeological studies and modelling, nature conservation and environmental protection studies and reporting, as well as planning and implementing tailor-made databases, map production tools and geo-information systems. Beak has strong practical and conceptual experience in environmental data management, mining and geology, and has planned and implemented information systems as well as complex knowledge management systems for mining, geological and environmental authorities in several countries. Beak has developed its own stand-alone advangeo^® Prediction Software, which provides 2D mineral predictive mapping with artificial neural networks in ArcGIS and 3D mineral predictive mapping with GOCAD. The main role of Beak will be in the testing phase of the project, but it will also contribute to the method and software development. The key contribution of Beak will be its expertise in predictive mineral potential mapping using data driven approaches (here: artificial neural networks), to be applied as alternative method for the testing and benchmarking of the MAP software in the Erzgebirge area in Germany.

Geological Survey of Norway is a government agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (Norway). As a research agency, NGU advises ministries, public administrators, industry and the general public on geoscientific matters, and provides services and information on a large range of subjects within geology. NGU has strong expertise on mineral resources, which are among its core activities. NGU has long experience in international projects. The main role of NGU will be in the testing phase of the project, but NGU will also participate in the development phase with the other partners. The key contributions of NGU will be its expertise in mineral resources exploration and research, and the data on all types of mineral resources in Norway, both on land and on the seafloor, crucial in the testing phase of the project.

Geological Survey of Sweden is a central governmental agency under the Ministry of Enterprise and innovation for matters relating to the geology of Sweden and the management of mineral resources. SGU has extensive experience in the various field of geosciences, including mineral prospectivity modelling (MPM), proven by several international scientific publications. The main role of SGU will be in testing and modification of the developed software and method, and also in method development using its MPM expertise. The key contributions of SGU will be its expertise in MPM methodology, to be used in the method and software development phase, as well as data and information on the geology and mineral deposits and occurrences in the Swedish test areas.

Iceland GeoSurvey is a self-financing, state-owned, non-profit geoscientific institution in Iceland operating on a project and contract basis like a private company. ÍSOR has long experience in the field of geothermal and hydropower research and development, as well as in many other geoscience-related fields, including groundwater studies, marine geology, environmental monitoring and mineral exploration. The main role of ÍSOR will be in the testing phase of the project, but it will also participate in the development phase with the other partners. The key contributions of ÍSOR will be the application of its extensive experience in the assessment of geothermal resources in the epithermal environment in Iceland during the testing phase and its comprehensive dataset (partially confidential) on epithermal gold exploration, which will be essential for the testing the developed software and methodology both for epithermal gold and seafloor massive sulphides.

LTU Business AB is the largest business development company in northern Scandinavia, specialising in business development, innovation management and professional education. In addition to being the official Technology Transfer Office for the Luleå University of Technology, LTUB serves clients from both private and public sector. LTUB has a thirty year track record of running industry collaboration efforts and student programs in order to create growth in SMEs in northern Sweden, a region where several raw materials related companies are started every year. LTUB’s experience in business development has made it an internationally trusted partner for innovation management. The main role of LTUB will be in providing support in the business generation and commercialisation activities during the project. The key contribution of LTUB in the project is the verification and validation of the targeted opportunity from a business point of view and the leading of the work on go-to-market preparation and support.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology is the primary Norwegian university in engineering and technology. It offers bachelor- master- and PhD-level education within raw materials-related fields and has a broad range of contacts with industry and strong experience in participating in EU projects. The activities at the Department of Geoscience and Petroleum include teaching and research in the production and management of mineral resources, exploitation of the underground for construction purposes and in recycling and environmental technology. The main role of NTNU will be in the testing phase of the project, but it will also contribute actively in the method development part, especially studying the possibilities to develop resource estimation methodologies to be used both on the seafloor and on land. The key contributions of NTNU will be its experience and expertise in mineral resource assessment methodology research, development and teaching, as well as its experience in the arctic seafloor environment.

Oulu Mining School is a faculty founded at the University of Oulu in 2014. The University of Oulu is an international science university in northern Finland. The strategic focus areas of OMS are in contributions to solving global challenges, particularly matters relevant to the Arctic region. As such, issues related to mineral resources area are of key interest. The aim and expertise of OMS is in the integration of research and education activities along the value chain from geological research and exploration to mine development and mineral processing technology. The main role of OMS will be in contributing scientific background to the method development and testing phase and ensuring a strong educational component in the MAP project. A key contribution of OMS will be the integration of Master level student projects in the development work and in the test case studies, the development of teaching materials based on the work of the project (method development and case studies) and contribution to the development of a dissemination strategy targeted at professionals in the exploration and mining industry (e.g., short courses at relevant international conferences).