Italy has four projects in the European Commission's list of 47 extraction, processing and recycling projects deemed strategic ujnder the Critical Raw Materials Act.

Speaking exclusively to Mining Magazine, Alberto Castronovo, head of the internationalisation unit at the Cabinet of the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, praised the "substantial step" towards achieving the CRMA's targets. 

"The Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy welcomes the decision of the European Commission to select four Italian projects from the list of strategic projects provided for by the Critical Raw Materials Act," he said.

"The approval of the list represents a substantial step towards achieving the targets for the extraction, transformation and recycling of Strategic Raw Materials in Europe, set at 10%, 40% and 25% of European demand respectively. Strategic projects are key to ensuring the success of the green and digital transitions."

Italy has also identified its own list of key projects and set up a fund to support them.

"Italy will actively contribute to the achievement of these objectives through the four approved projects," Castronovo said.

"The latter will involve the recycling of five key Strategic Raw Materials for Italian and European industry: lithium, rare earths, platinum group metals, nickel and copper. The strategic projects in question, located in Lazio, Sardinia, Tuscany and Veneto, will contribute to the development of the territories concerned."

The four projects are the Alpha Project, an ongoing recycling project of platinum group metals, LIFE22-ENV- IT-INSPIREE, a rare earth magnet recycling project, Portovesme CRM Hub which recycles battery-grade lithium and manganese, and copper, nickel and platinum group metal recycling project RECOVER-IT.

"This milestone marks a key moment for the strengthening of European supplies of Strategic Raw Materials, as well as an opportunity for Italy to relaunch its mining industry," he said.