On 4^th -5^th November 2019, EuroGeoSurveys hosted the MinLand Consortium and Workshop Meeting at its premises in Brussels, Belgium. The project is now close to an end and the work package leaders reunited in Brussels to share the latest developments and updates on each of the work package activities.  Ronald Arvidsson from Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), Coordinator of the MinLand started the meeting with an inspiring introductory speech highlighting the precious work which all the MinLand partners have been implementing in the past  years.

The work package leaders presented their respective work package activities. Updates provided the latest achievements on the Minland database, the fact sheets, policy-related issues, mineral land-use good practices and guidelines, networking and clustering activities and related communication and dissemination aspects. The first day of the meeting ended up with discussing the priorities and challenges of mineral land-use planning (Mineral LUP).

The second and last day of the meeting began with a presentation on the “Main achievements of the MinLand project” and “Introducing Sustainable Mineral LUP” showcased by Ronald Arvidsson and the EU Project Coordinator Nikolaos Arvanitidis  from Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU). Blažena Hamadová from the Agency for International Minerals Policy (MinPol) presented “LUP and mineral-based industrial value chains” while Katharina Gugerell from the MontanUniversität Leoben (UniLeoben) gave an overview about the “Minerals Land-use challenging Societal and Environmental issues”.

The meeting continued with a presentation by Chrysa Panagiotopoulou from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), entitled “The MinLand Network” – a backbone for communication with stakeholders. Potential for stakeholders beyond the lifetime of the  project” followed by Andreas Endl from The Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) discussing the “Guidelines to Good Practice aspects within the MinLand project”.

This last presentation paved the way for a session in which the participants discussed the “Minland Guidelines, Good Practices and Recommendations for Mineral Land Use”.

The work package leaders were also reporting about the progress of the final deliverables. During the closing session the participants had an open discussion on the project results, sharing opinions and the next steps for minerals land use within the members states and harmonization options in Europe.

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