The HE-AVANTiS project marked its one-year milestone with the fourth consortium meeting held on January 23-24, 2025, at the Mining School of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) in Spain. Participants attended both on-site (28 participants) and remotely (5 participants), fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment. This pivotal meeting was crucial for reviewing the progress achieved in 2024 and formulating action plans for the final stages of the project’s first 18 months. A high level of engagement marked the discussion as team members shared their accomplishments and addressed challenges, setting a solid foundation for this year.
AVANTiS aims to develop sustainable and decarbonized extraction methods for vanadium, titanium, and iron from Europe’s low-grade vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite deposits. This collaborative effort includes ten partners and three associate partners, comprising research institutions and private-sector organizations. The primary objective of the meeting was to bring together these partners to evaluate the project’s progress according to the implementation plan, address challenges encountered, identify expected risks, formulate action plans, and set expectations for 2025.
Peter Tom Jones from KU Leuven commenced the 4th consortium meeting by welcoming participants and outlining the agenda. On the first day, work package leaders presented updates on tasks, deliverables, and key milestones set for the first 18 months of the implementation plan. AVANTiS research findings are anticipated to result in several publications, ranging from extended abstracts to full articles, beginning in 2025.
Some challenges have arisen, particularly for WP1 and WP3, due to out-of-service analytical instruments and mineral processing equipment, causing potential delays. Discussions on scheduling and material flow issues are ongoing. While no immediate critical risks were identified, any deviations and their impacts are being closely monitored.
On 24.1., Friday morning, the working groups (WP1, WP2, WP3, WP4, WP5, and WP6) held separate technical sessions where they discussed and summarized immediate action points. This led to the clarification of the next steps, identification of potential risks and mitigation strategies, and sharing of relevant information within the team and across the WPs. In the end, the organizer of the meeting led by summarizing the main points discussed and identifying the next steps to be taken.
On Thursday, February 23rd, our partners at UPM treated us to a delightful dinner that was a truly culinary adventure. The funniest moment at dinner was when we realized we were already full of all the appetizers before the main dish even arrived! During our two-day meeting, we also enjoyed a finger lunch of tapas featuring Spanish cuisine. The meals were not only delicious but also a great opportunity for valuable in person discussions. I found myself saying, “Esta comida és increíble” and “Gracias por la deliciosa comida” more than once!
By Tegist Chernet (GTK)
Photo Credit: Gabinete de comunicación ETSIME


