MINE.IO is a Horizon Europe research and innovation project aiming to develop a holistic Digital Mine 4.0 ecosystem that integrates advanced digital technologies across the entire mining value chain. The project supports the transformation of the mining sector towards safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations, covering activities from exploration and extraction to processing, waste management and mine closure. 

The project focuses on the development of an open and interoperable digital platform that combines AI, IoT, robotics, automation, digital twin technologies and advanced data analytics. Through real-time data acquisition and intelligent decision-support tools, MINE.IO enhances operational efficiency, safety and transparency while reducing environmental impact. The solutions are validated through pan-European pilot demonstrations at multiple mining sites across Europe. 

UNEXMIN GeoRobotics Ltd. (UGR) is an R&D and commercial technology service provider developing innovative robotic solutions that significantly extend current mineral exploration and geoscientific data acquisition methods. 

Within the MINE.IO project, UNEXMIN contributes its expertise in robotics, autonomous systems and data-driven subsurface exploration, with a strong focus on challenging and hard-to-access underground environments, including flooded and abandoned mines. In the short term, the company leverages its exclusive licensing rights to the UX autonomous underwater robotic platform, supporting advanced surveying and geoscientific applications relevant to digital and sustainable mining. 

In the medium and long term, UNEXMIN supports the integration of versatile robotic and geoscientific technologies aligned with the Digital Mine 4.0 concept. Its vision is to help establish an integrated robotic and R&D ecosystem that bridges technology providers and the raw materials sector, combining terrestrial, underwater and airborne robotic surveying technologies to support safer, smarter and more sustainable mining operations throughout the full mine lifecycle. 

MINE.IO is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme, with a total budget of approximately €14 million. The project accelerates the digital transformation of the mining industry by enabling smart, connected and sustainable mining operations, contributing to improved worker safety, reduced environmental impact and enhanced transparency. 

Project website: https://mineio-horizon.eu/