aLiNA

An initiative for responsible and sustainable mining projects

aLiNA is an AVENIA program, open to all members with an interest in mineral resources, which aims to help develop responsible local mining projects in line with the need to secure our supplies of critical mineral raw materials.

Topics range from mineral resource exploration to recycling, from the extraction of metals/minerals from rock and produced water to the recovery of mine tailings. They also cover cross-functional issues such as environmental monitoring, mineral traceability, communication, stakeholder engagement and training.

One of aLiNA's raisons d'être lies in bringing together the community of underground players and the community of industries that use metals and minerals (batteries, green H2, automotive, electronics, aeronautics, etc.).

This program is part of a European approach to take advantage of the emulation between the various European territories concerned by these issues and with a view to achieving the objectives set by the EU in the CRM Act :
+ Intra-European extraction of at least 10% of annual EU consumption
+ Intra-European processing of at least 40% of annual EU consumption
+ Recycling production (including mining waste) of at least 15% of annual consumption
+ a 65% import limit for a single metal and a single country, to diversify sources of supply

aLiNA has also just been enriched by the signing of a partnership between the AVENIA cluster and Quebec's MCS Scientific Network for GEODAYS 2024.

- IEA forecasts rising demand for critical metals and minerals by 2030 for the energy transition
- quarries and processing sites in France (source Unicem)
- industrial mineral quarries in France (MI-F)
- mined substances (rock salt, bauxite, tin, niobium, tantalum, gold in French Guiana, nickel in New Caledonia)

Objectives

01

Acculturation of stakeholders

Acculturation of industry stakeholders through the organization and participation in key events, and targeted, didactic communication.
02

Setting up collaborative projects

Setting up relevant and ambitious collaborative projects, drawing on the expertise of our members.

Actions taken

Carried out

Collaboration agreement

AVENIA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Quebec's MCS Scientific Network to help set up Franco-Quebec collaborative projects on the subject of critical and strategic mineral resources.

Carried out

Annual meeting of the aLiNA program in Brussels

In September, POLE AVENIA brought together all the European partners in the aLiNA program for a day of strategic discussions at the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region offices in Brussels. Discussions provided an opportunity to take stock of political and industrial advances, and to outline concrete avenues for strengthening sustainable mining ecosystems in Europe.

Carried out

B2B meetings

In September 2024, AVENIA co-hosted a virtual event with the MCS Scientific Network, bringing together some sixty French and Quebec players to discuss topics addressed by the aLiNA program.

Carried out

Collective stand at SIM 2024

AVENIA hosted a stand at the Société des Industries Minérales congress in October 2024 with several of its members/partners (Arethuse Geology, Envisol, TSL, Réseau scientifique MCS and MRNF), in partnership with A3M and MEDEF International.

Carried out

EMME public consultation

At the conference-debate organized in Bordeaux as part of the EMME project consultation process, POLE AVENIA presented the aLiNA program and highlighted the challenges involved in securing supplies of critical metals for the battery industry. The presentation reaffirmed the strategic role of France's mining potential in the low-carbon transition.

Carried out

Prospecting mission in Quebec

AVENIA led an exploratory mission to Quebec from June 3 to 13, 2025, with 4 companies present (Caspeo, Halias technologies, Ginger SOFRECO, Microhumus) and 4 others represented (Consortium “French Mining Solutions” led by STRATEXIO, DeepLime, TECMAN, VR2Planets).

Actions in progress

In progress

Participation in the Mines+Energie conference

AVENIA will be taking part in the Québec Mines+Energie conference in November 2025 with a collective stand, in which members will be taking part, and speaking at the event.

In progress

Participation in SIM 2025

AVENIA will be taking part in the SIM trade show in Orléans from October 15 to 17, and will be hosting a Quebec delegation led by the MRNF and Réseau MCS on the A3M/AVENIA collective stand.

Join our program

Program exclusively for AVENIA members

Contact us Contact us
Jérôme Head of the aLiNA program