METIUM
Join METIUM in building a resilient, circular and competitive Europe —where waste becomes a resource.
METIUM is a Horizon Europe project dedicated to transforming urban waste into a reliable source of Strategic Raw Materials. By scaling advanced hydrometallurgical recycling technologies and building interregional Urban Mining value chains, METIUM connects research, industry, and regions across Europe to recover critical materials from end-of-life products.
Urban Mining Starts Now! Recover. Rebuild. Reinforce Europe.
Through innovation, collaboration, and clean recycling solutions, METIUM strengthens Europe’s circular economy and supports a more resilient, resource-independent future.
By connecting research, industry, and regions, the project enables the recovery of valuable materials from urban waste, reduces reliance on imports, and contributes to sustainable industrial growth across Europe.
Europe’s green and digital transitions depend on critical raw materials—yet most of them are imported and geopolitically sensitive. At the same time, millions of tonnes of valuable materials are lost every year in electronic and industrial waste.
STRONGER.
INDEPENDENT.
SUSTAINABLE.
Empowering Europe to recover its resources, reduce dependency on imports and build a resilient circular future through innovation, collaboration, and advanced recycling solutions that transform urban waste into valuable Strategic Raw Materials.
The choices we make today shape tomorrow’s world. By turning waste into valuable resources, investing in circular solutions, and embracing innovation, we strengthen Europe’s resilience and competitiveness.
Urban waste is no longer just a disposal challenge—it is a valuable reservoir of Strategic Raw Materials that can be recovered, refined, and reintegrated into production cycles. Discarded electronics, batteries, vehicles, construction debris, and even household appliances contain critical materials such as rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, copper and aluminum.
Our mission is to unlock the value hidden in urban waste by scaling advanced hydrometallurgical recycling and building interregional Urban Mining value chains. Through collaboration and innovation, METIUM supports Europe’s circular economy and strengthens resource independence.
Our Mission
Building Europe’s Resource Independence.
Our mission is to transform urban waste into valuable Strategic Raw Materials by scaling advanced hydrometallurgical recycling technologies and building strong interregional Urban Mining value chains. Through innovation and collaboration, METIUM aims to strengthen Europe’s circular economy, reduce dependency on imported critical materials, and support a more resilient and sustainable industrial future.
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Innovation
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Recovery
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Circularity
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Transformation
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Resilience
METIUM delivers practical Urban Mining solutions by connecting collection, pre-processing, and advanced hydrometallurgical recovery into efficient cross-border value chains. Through scalable technologies and strong interregional collaboration, we transform end-of-life products into high-value Strategic Raw Materials.
IMPACT IN NUMBERS
METIUM delivers measurable results that demonstrate the scale and ambition of the project. Through collaboration, innovation, and advanced recycling technologies, the project generates tangible impact across Europe’s Urban Mining ecosystem.
METIUM brings together 19 organisations from across Europe, combining expertise in research, industry, recycling, engineering, and circular economy solutions. The consortium connects leading innovators and partners from Less Developed Regions to build strong interregional Urban Mining value chains and deliver scalable, industrial-ready recycling technologies.
Our articles highlight progress in Urban Mining, hydrometallurgical recycling, Strategic Raw Materials recovery, and interregional collaboration — showing how innovation turns waste into value for Europe’s circular future.
Let’s Begin the Urban Mining Revolution — Recovering What Matters