ABOUT US
ABOUT US
The National Cluster for Sustainable Mining and Associated Services of the Iberian Peninsula (ISMC) brings together more than 60 companies, professional organizations, universities and research centres with more than 2000 employees dedicated to the mining industry and its associated services.
Our main objective is to unite efforts and attract relevant actors in the value chains of mining and raw materials in order to promote the sustainability and circularity of the sector while promoting growth, competitiveness and innovation.
We work hand in hand with our members and partners to consolidate the strengths of our mining industry globally, with special interest in developing collaborative projects with our commercial and institutional partners in the European Union.
The ISMC was founded in 2018, since then, the cluster has expanded its horizon and scope, becoming an effective instrument to promote innovation in the mining sector at both, national and European level. Our activities and services are perfectly aligned with European policies, initiatives and strategies related to resource efficiency, sustainable development and the circular economy. This alignment ensures our ability to integrate the Spanish mining industry into global value chains through the development and use of new innovative products, processes and services, particularly in achieving sustainable mining with low environmental impact, where natural resources are used wisely and effectively.
ISMC members are fully committed to the development of a sustainable and environmentally friendly mining sector, focused on providing the raw materials that will enable the transition to a clean and low-carbon economy. We work closely with governments, universities, professional associations, technology providers and other related institutions to:
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Plan industry success policies for the near future.
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Participate in projects aimed at developing new methods and technologies.
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Disseminate evidence-based knowledge to assist the company in understanding sustainable mining.
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Bring the value of raw materials and mining to the general public
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To provide training and expertise to new professionals in the field, allowing the development of the sustainable mining industry of the 21st century.
MISSION
Our mission is to consolidate a strong ecosystem of relevant companies in the Spanish mining sector and its associated services to accelerate the transition from the traditional mining industry to an innovative, sustainable one, with the ability to secure the raw materials that will shape the technologies of the future.
To this purpose, ISMC provides a comprehensive catalogue of services to help companies in the sector (with special attention to SMEs) incorporate new technologies, create new jobs, gain new knowledge and acquire competitive advantages through innovation and sustainable growth.
In addition, ISMC promotes industrial modernisation and digitalisation in the sector through cross-fertilisation and interaction with emerging industries such as advanced manufacturing, ICT, circular economy, environment and resource efficiency.
VISION
Our vision is an innovative, sustainable mining sector, fully integrated in the value chains of the future and capable of providing wealth and wellbeing to local communities; a safe, skilled and gender-balanced workforce, and competitive companies all across the mining value chain.
We pursue a significant impact on the European industrial competitiveness, innovation capacity and human capital, as well as the empowerment of small companies in the sector to lead the change towards a circular economy and the contribution towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
MISSION
Our mission is to consolidate a strong ecosystem of relevant companies in the Spanish mining sector and its associated services to accelerate the transition from the traditional mining industry to an innovative, sustainable one, with the ability to secure the raw materials that will shape the technologies of the future.
To this purpose, ISMC provides a comprehensive catalogue of services to help companies in the sector (with special attention to SMEs) incorporate new technologies, create new jobs, gain new knowledge and acquire competitive advantages through innovation and sustainable growth.
In addition, ISMC promotes industrial modernisation and digitalisation in the sector through cross-fertilisation and interaction with emerging industries such as advanced manufacturing, ICT, circular economy, environment and resource efficiency.
VISION
Our vision is an innovative, sustainable mining sector, fully integrated in the value chains of the future and capable of providing wealth and wellbeing to local communities; a safe, skilled and gender-balanced workforce, and competitive companies all across the mining value chain.
We pursue a significant impact on the European industrial competitiveness, innovation capacity and human capital, as well as the empowerment of small companies in the sector to lead the change towards a circular economy and the contribution towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ISMC is managed by a team of professional and industrial leaders who are selected by the cluster’s General Assembly among its members based on their experience in the mining sector and related services. They provide strategic guidance and management skills, playing a vital role in the implementation of ISMC objectives.
| BOARD MEMBER | POSITION | REPRESENTATIVE |
| PEAL HISPANIA S.A.U. |
Presidency |
Juan Manuel Alonso Alonso |
| Fundación ICAMCyL |
Executive Secretariat |
Dr. Santiago Cuesta López |
| Gesminle S.L |
Vice presidency |
Norberto Alfageme González |
| EPC España Sílex SL |
Board member |
Julen Muñoz Madariaga |
| Comet Global Innovation SL |
Board member |
Joan Nuñez de Arenas Negrete |
| CONFEDEM |
Board member |
Vicente Gutiérrez Peinador |
| CIISE | Board member | Jose García del Real |
| Segycal |
Board member |
Rafael Juárez Ferreras |
| Leonore Development |
Board member |
Raúl Fernández Abad |
| Centro Tecnológico Pinacal Inser |
Board member |
Aurelio de Grado |
| IP Control SL |
Board member |
Ignacio López Anquela |
| AMINER |
Board member |
Priscila Moreno |
The Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) is managed by a team of professional and industrial leaders who have been selected by the cluster General Assembly among its members based on their experience in the mining sector and related services. They provide strategic guidance and management skills, playing a vital role in the implementation of ISMC objectives.
| BOARD MEMBER | POSITION | REPRESENTATIVE |
| Transportes Peal S.A. |
Presidency |
Juan Manuel Alonso Alonso |
| Fundación ICAMCyL |
Secretariat |
Dr. Santiago Cuesta López |
| Gesminle S.L |
Vice presidency |
Norberto Alfageme González |
| EPC España Sílex SL |
Board member |
Javier Muñoz García |
| Intauxma S.A |
Board member |
Gerardo Biaín González |
| Confedem |
Board member |
Vicente Gutiérrez Peinador |
| Tarma Bulk Solids Solutions SL |
Board member |
José Cordero Ramón |
| Segycal |
Board member |
Rafael Juárez Ferreras |
| Leonore Development |
Board member |
Raúl Fernández Abad |
| Centro Tecnológico Pinacal Inser |
Board member |
Aurelio de Grado |
| IP Control SL |
Board member |
Ignacio López Anquela |
CLUSTER MANAGER
Dr. Santiago Cuesta-López (1976), European Doctor of Physics, DEA in Nuclear Science and Technology, Condensed Matter Physics and Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Miskolc. He is the Managing Director of the International Centre for Advanced Materials and Raw Materials of Castile and León (ICAMCyL). He is also the ideologue, founder and Director of the National Industrial Cluster of raw materials and associated value chains – Cluster of Sustainable Iberian Mining ISMC.
Santiago Cuesta promotes international activity in raw materials within the Industrial Modernization Platforms (S3P) in Advanced Materials for Batteries (Leading the European line of sustainable materials supply for the Battery value chain) and the EU Regions Platform on Raw Materials (Mining and Associated Value Chains), and has been representing Spain as a member state in the European Raw Materials Innovation Alliance of the European Commission since 2016.
Executive representative in numerous international committees of technologists such as the Group of Strategic Experts (SEG) for M-ERANET EU Commission, ERAMIN2, EIT Raw Materials, or the International Alliance for the Promotion of Investments in Circular Economy.
Santiago Cuesta collaborates with prestigious institutions that promote science and technology such as the OECD, the La Caixa Foundation and the FWO (Flanders Research Foundation). In the last 7 years he has achieved 35 projects H2020,H-EU coordinating 10 of them at European level, including a project INNOSUP-01-2019, project FET-OPEN and attracting > 12 M euros in research. He has been a partner/director in more than 50 international funding projects, author/co-author of more than 100 publications (70 SCI) and technical communications to industry.
Cuesta’s carreer has been recognized both nationally and internationally with the National Prize as Physicist of Excellence 2018 by the Official College of Physicists (COFIS) and another series of awards and mentions such as the National Prize of the Spanish Nuclear Society for young researchers (2003), or the prize for the development of ICFRM materials (Sapporo- 2009), as well as the prestigious scholarship of the Ramón y Cajal program.
CLUSTER MANAGER
Dr. Santiago Cuesta López is the general director of the International Centre for Advanced Materials and Raw Materials of Castilla y León (ICAMCyL). He is also the general director and cluster manager of the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC) and former director of the International Research Centre in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM).
Santiago Cuesta promotes regional activities related to raw materials and, with ICAMCyL, he is project partner in the EIT RawMaterials. He represents Spain as member State in the Operational Groups of EU EIP Raw Materials. Cuesta is executive member of EU NANOFUTURES as chairman of the Working Group on Critical Raw Materials and member of the International Committee ISO/AENOR CTN 73 and the Strategic Expert Group (SEG) for EU M-ERANET network.
At the moment, Santiago Cuesta manages 8 international projects for ICAMCyL, some of them belonging to the Horizon 2020 programme. In the last 2 years, he has achieved 14 H2020 projects, coordinating 4 of them at EU level, including a FET-OPEN project, and attracting 3.5 M€ in funding for R&D. Santiago has been partner/director of more than 30 internationally funded projects, authored/co-authored more than 100 scientific publications and technical industrial communications and has received 5 reputed scientific awards.