The HE‑AVANTiS 6th consortium meeting was held on April 20–21, 2026, at the AGH University of Technology in Krakow, Poland. Participants joined both in person and remotely, creating an engaging and collaborative atmosphere. The meeting focused on reviewing progress since the previous consortium meeting in November 2025 and on aligning common milestones across work packages. Discussions were highly interactive, with partners sharing key achievements and addressing challenges, laying a strong foundation for the next step of the project.
AVANTiS aims to develop sustainable, low‑carbon methods for extracting vanadium, titanium, iron, and light rare earth elements (LREE) from Europe’s low‑grade vanadium‑bearing titanomagnetite deposits. The project brings together ten partners and three associate partners from both research institutions and industry. The main goal of the meeting was to review progress against the implementation plan, discuss challenges and potential risks, agree on action plans, and align expectations for the remainder of 2026.
The consortium meeting was excellently organized by the AGH University of Technology team and Proxis, with participants warmly welcomed by Prof. Adam Piestrzyński. The AVANTiS coordinator, Rabab Nassar (KU Leuven), opened the meeting by outlining the agenda. On the first day (Monday, 20.4.), work package leaders presented updates on tasks, deliverables, and key milestones planned for the second phase of the implementation plan. AVANTiS research activities are expected to result in several publications, ranging from extended abstracts to full journal articles, in line with the project’s KPIs. Some challenges were identified, particularly for WP3 deliverables, where potential delays may occur due to staff shortages. Discussions on rescheduling and material flow are ongoing. Although no critical risks were identified, deviations and their potential impacts are being closely monitored.
On Tuesday, 21 April, during the morning session, working groups from WP1, WP3, WP4, and WP8 met for interactive technical sessions. These discussions focused on cross–work package coordination, defining next action points, and aligning internal milestones. The sessions helped clarify next steps, identify challenges and possible mitigation measures, and facilitate information exchange within and across work packages. At the end of the session, each work package leader summarized the main discussion points, upcoming actions, and scheduled deliverables.
In addition, a brief presentation on the geology and mineral resources of Ukraine was delivered by Prof. Leonid Shumlyanskyy from the Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland. This overview provided valuable context, as the AVANTiS project includes three Ukrainian Fe-Ti bearing deposits in its resource evaluation. Prof. Shumlyanskyy, who is also affiliated with the M.P. Semenenko Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Ore Formation, Kyiv, Ukraine, has further supported the AVANTiS project by supplying Ukrainian samples and co‑authoring conference papers and abstracts.
Finally, Peter Tom Jones (KU Leuven) outlined the consortium’s intention to submit a follow-up Innovation Action proposal in the 2027 call, aiming for a budget of €10–12 million starting at TRL 5 and aiming to reach TRL 7 through mini-pilot demonstrations.
The partners identified and agreed on three priority case studies – Otanmäki ore, Mustavaara ore, and the Strongången tailings—selected for their strong LCA data availability, compatibility with pyrometallurgical processing, and promising economic and processing prospects, respectively. The potential inclusion of a Ukrainian deposit was also explored to further address REE and Ti considerations.
Outside the meeting, AGH and Proxis truly went above and beyond—treating us to an extravagant and delicious dinner set in a unique cultural setting, a visit to the AGH mineralogy museum with exceptionally beautiful mineral collections, and an unforgettable tour of the UNESCO-listed Wieliczka Salt Mine. These experiences left the team feeling genuinely valued and that our time was exceptionally well spent.
Author: DR. Tegist Chernet – Senior Research Scientist at Geological Survey of Finland – AVANTIS WP1 Leader
Photo credits: Prof. Adam Piestrzyński
