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Spain reappears on the board of critical minerals In full geopolitical struggle Between the United States and China. The Government has published in the BOE The definitive admission of the “Menipe” research permit, which will allow the Australian company Osmond Resources – through its local subsidiary Green Mineral Resources SL – to explore strategic resources in the province of Jaén. Opening the way. The project Orion EU Critical Minerals Project It will cover a total 756 grids (228 km²) among the municipalities of Aldeaquemada, Santisteban del Puerto, Castellar and Montizón. According to the company itselfthe work will focus on a fossilized paleoplace with high heavy mineral content. Surface trials would have revealed “unusually high” concentrations: more than 15% in rutilo and about 10% in Circón, in addition to significant levels of rare earths (neodymium, proseodimium and disposium), essential elements to manufacture permanent magnets used in wind turbines, electric cars and batteries. A long process. It is not to arrive and kiss the saint. According to the technical memory of the PI “Orion”, the investigation is conceived as a three -year plan divided into progressive phases. During the first exercise it is planned to collect historical information, develop geological cartography at 1: 10,000 scale, perform aerial geophysical prospects and take between 80 and 90 samples in streams, in addition to running up to five surveys with witness in areas such as Avellanar. In a second stage, the works will focus on surface geophysics – electrical and magnetotheluric toomography – on the development of a hydrogeological model and on another ten additional polls. Finally, a technical-economic evaluation of the set of results is made, with the possibility of extension if the deadlines were insufficient. The technical document describes mineralized layers between 0.3 and 4 meters (average of 2.5 m), rich in zircon, rutilo, ilmenite and monacite. Besides, According to Osmond Resourcesthe first drilling program includes 15 polls in Avellanar and other objective zones. The company claims to have a listing machine ready and plans to incorporate more teams in October of this year, When the risk of fire goes down. Very quoted materials. The minerals under investigation are in the European list of critical and strategic raw materials. Rare earths such as neodymium or disposium are essential to manufacture permanent magnets used in wind turbines, electric cars and batteries. Rutilo is used in pigments and alloys. The zircon and hafnio have applications in ceramics and nuclear reactors. According to the European Commissionthe new Critical RAW Materials Act set by 2030 that at least 10% of critical subjects are extracted in community territory, 40% are processed in the EU and 25% is recycledwith the aim of reducing the dependence of a single country supplier to a maximum of 65%. Within that framework, projects such as Jaén fit fully into the industrial autonomy strategy of the block. An hUb Mining in boom? The chosen area is not new to mining. The region of Linares – La Carolina was, During the nineteenth and twentieth centuriesone of the most important leading districts in Europe. In the 50s and 60s even Torio and Uranium were sought, without success. Today, that past resurfaces with new protagonists. In addition, Jaén’s case is not isolated. The community concentrates near the 90% of the value of national metal mining and is reactivating dozens of research permits. Even, In Xatakawe have talked about “El Dorado Andaluz”, a region where the global demand for strategic metals and the European bet for new supply chains are crossed. It is not an exploitation license. For the moment. The current permit only authorizes investigation and the Board opened a period of public allegations in the Environmental Processing of Pi “Orion”and it is foreseeable that objections linked to water and biodiversity arise. In Jaén, social sensitivity towards energy projects has already been evident: the massive installation of solar plants has reached courts To stop different photovoltaic projects. Experience in other territories also invites caution. In Matamulas (Ciudad Real), the strong neighborhood and environmental response paralyzed rare earth despite the high geological potential. Jaén can investigate. If the polls confirm the potential and if the project exceeds environmental and social tests, Andalusia could become the European test bank for a new mining of critical minerals. Time will say if Jaén goes from being a line in the BOE to a key actor in Europe’s mineral autonomy. Image | Unspash and Unspash Xataka | Atacama Salar is the key on which the electric car industry pivot. And is starting to dry