Urban Waste.
Strategic Power.
METIUM rethinks waste as a strategic resource, transforming urban waste into critical materials through advanced recycling and cross-border collaboration.
about metium
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 combining knowledge, technology, and industrial expertise, the partners collaborate to develop sustainable recycling solutions with long-term impact.
Europe’s Tomorrow Starts Today
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.
RECOVERING WHAT EUROPE NEEDS MOST
Recovering Europe’s Hidden Resources
Urban waste is no longer just a disposal challenge — it is a valuable source of Strategic Raw Materials. Discarded electronics, batteries, vehicles, construction debris, and household appliances contain critical resources such as rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, copper, and aluminium that can be recovered and reused.
Smart Recovery. Real Impact.
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.
Our mission is to transform urban waste into valuable Strategic Raw Materials by scaling advanced recycling technologies and developing interregional Urban Mining value chains across Europe. Through innovation, collaboration and sustainable solutions, METIUM supports Europe’s circular economy, industrial resilience and resource independence.
Our vision is a future where cities become reliable sources of valuable materials, supporting a circular, sustainable, and resource-independent Europe. By transforming waste into resources, METIUM helps build a more resilient and environmentally responsible industrial future.
From Vision to Impact
From Vision to Impact
METIUM’s journey transforms innovation into real-world impact through collaboration, advanced recycling technologies and interregional Urban Mining value chains. Over four years, the project progresses from building the foundation to delivering scalable solutions for Europe’s circular and resource-independent future.
2025 — Building the Foundation
Launching the METIUM ecosystem and establishing interregional Urban Mining value chains across Europe.
2026 — Scaling Innovation
Advancing hydrometallurgical technologies and demonstrating efficient recovery of Strategic Raw Materials.
2027 — Delivering Impact
Strengthening Europe’s circular economy through scalable recycling solutions and cross-border collaboration.
2028 — Shaping the Future
Driving long-term resource independence and accelerating Europe’s transition to a circular future.
partners
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.
METIUM in Numbers
Key figures highlighting the scale, collaboration and impact of METIUM across Europe’s Urban Mining ecosystem.
Discover the numbers driving Europe’s circular future.
partners
19
Recovery Efficiency
80–99.99%
Strategic Raw Materials
11
Urban Mining value chains
4
faq & get answer
Exploring METIUM Through FAQs
Explore the Answers Behind Europe’s Urban Mining Future.
What is METIUM?
Why is METIUM important?
