WORKING GROUPS
ISMC has seven active working groups, each of them with a separate focus and specific goals. These groups are permanent, although lifetime bounded working groups could be created dynamically in order to attend specific needs and tasks.
ISMC working groups are built on the basis of interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. Each working group is a forum for cooperation and participation. Participants represent the interests and views of stakeholders from the entire raw materials and mining value chains.
These are the six ISMC permanent working groups and their corresponding coordinators:
WG1: International projects, technological projects and grants
The main goal of this working group is to enable and promote the development of R&D projects among cluster members. In order to have a thorough understanding of the associates’ potential and possible synergies, WG1 work relies on a deep analysis of the expertise, capabilities and interests of the ISMC members. Once the opportunities have been identified, the group offers support in order to translate these opportunities into research and innovation proposals that eventually become solid projects to achieve the objectives pursued.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Dr. David Martín Moncunill, chief Technology Officer (CTO) at COMET GLOBAL INNOVATION David is a Technical Engineer in Management Computing (UAH, 2011), Graduate in Information Systems (UAH, 2013), Master in E-Learning (UNIR, 2015), Doctor in Information and Knowledge Engineering (UAH, 2018) and Internal Auditor in R&D&I Management System UNE 166002 (Bureau Veritas, 2018). His career has always been linked to R&D&I, working both in the private and public spheres and also in projects financed with private and public funds. In recent years it has focused on projects at European level. On the technical side, he specializes in usability and user-centric design. His research interests include knowledge organization systems, e-learning, gamification, accessibility and semantics.
https://es.linkedin.com/in/dmartinmoncunill/
GROUP COORDINATOR
Dr.Joan Núñez de Arenas, founding partner, CEO and Sales Manager at COMET GLOBAL INNOVATION.
Degree in Law, Master in Legal Practice and Lawyer, has developed his professional activity in the legal field and, simultaneously, especially in the last fifteen years, in the field of R+D+i, especially in the case of technology transfer, both for research centres and within the company itself.
This ideal of “transferring” research advances to the market has always been raised as a primary requirement when participating in European projects, a sector in which COMET has extensive experience.
WG2: International business development and financing
The international business development and financing group focuses its activities on connecting the different actors comprising the mining value chain for the development of new, interesting projects, thus generating a collaborative environment and new business opportunities. We have a clear international focus, always looking for companies from different countries to help them find new markets and partners. All kinds of companies in the raw materials value chain participate in our group, from extraction, operation, or logistics to investors of many different types. To achieve our objectives, we carry out a variety of networking activities to connect companies, projects and investors. We also work in direct contact with companies that need to solve different challenges.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Raúl Fernández Abad, owner and CEO at Leonore Development. Trained in Economics, Raúl has professional experience in the field of commodity banking and trading. In banking, he has worked at ING and Deutsche Bank, in corporate departments related to equity trading and corporate actions. After learning about the world of commodities in banking, he changed to the raw materials sector, developing projects focused on minerals and industrial metals. His work focuses on the development of metal mining projects, offering global services, from technical and financial to marketing and shipping. In addition, he is the official agent for LATAM of the metals division of Cargill International Trading Pte Ltd.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raul-fernandez-abad
WG3: Technology surveillance
This working group performs a continuous process of systematic search, analysis and dissemination of strategic information, both technical and economic, in order to translate valuable information into useful knowledge for the cluster members. The final goal is to allow our members make informed decisions, with the lowest risks and with great anticipation over the sector changes. The WG specific objectives include: analysis of the technological level of national mining companies, including strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities; benchmarking leading global companies; studying cutting edge technologies developed by research centers and universities worldwide; and collecting best practices and techniques to promote their application among cluster members.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Aurelio Francisco de Grado Contreras, Mining Engineer from the Technical School of Mining Engineers at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Diploma of Advanced Studies in mine exploitation from the University of León. General Director of the Pinacal-Inser Technological Center (Research Center of minerals and industrial rocks of Castilla y León). Secretary of the Spanish Federation of Natural Stone between 1994 and 2015. Director of a multidisciplinary team for environmental impact assessments, mine exploitation projects and related activities. Professor of construction materials at the University of Burgos (Polytechnic School) between 1996 and 1998. Official Ensign of Engineers of the Spanish army; Sapper weapon (currently in the reserve). Member of UNE-AENOR within the mining and explosives working group.
WG4: Training, health and safety in the workplace
This working group is mainly focused on supporting the cluster members specialised in training activities by detecting training needs and problems in the mining sector; designing action plans; getting financing for the improvement of health and safety at work; and evaluating the impact of training actions. Its members are experts in the field of mining safety, with broad experience in training of mining workers to obtain professional certifications. In addition, the group is also devoted to attending the worker needs, particularly for the acquisition and improvement of professional skills and the renewal of licenses and authorizations. In the field of safety and health, the working group is dedicated to improving safety management in companies through the interpretation of standards and technical guides.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Ignacio López Anquela, lawyer and CEO at IP CONTROL, a Spanish entity in the mining sector dedicated to carrying out industrial safety inspections and waste management in the extractive industries; protection and rehabilitation of areas affected by mining activities in accordance with UNE-EN ISO / IEC 17020; and regulatory audits for the prevention of occupational risks. Ignacio has participated as a teacher in courses and seminars in the field of industrial safety, mining and occupational risk prevention, collaborating with different public and private organizations (Universidad de León, Universidad de Oviedo, Fundación Gómez Pardo, ASECABI). He currently serves as a consultant on Regulatory Compliance in the industrial and mining sector through the company ANALIZA GLOBAL COMPLIANCE.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-lópez-anquela/
WG5: Communication and marketing
The main goal of the communication and marketing working group is to raise awareness about current methods and principles of the mining sector, emphasising the most recent achievements regarding sustainability and respect for the environment. This WG also works to draw attention to the importance of raw materials in the development of technologies that will allow a new, sustainable mobility and the energy transition already underway. To do this, the WG works to support its members in the elaboration of communication plans, dissemination activities and training. It also works with socio-economic agents and political institutions, at local, national and European levels, to join forces in the generation of knowledge and cooperation.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Dr. Vicente Gutiérrez Peinador, Mining Engineer (ETS Minas Oviedo, 1979) with more than 40 years of experience in mining and engineering. Head of various Ventilation and Planning departments at HUNOSA (20 years), General Director of SADIM Engineering (10 years), Director of Mining, Operations and deputy to the CEO of ICL Iberia (10 years). Currently President of CONFEDEM (National Confederation of Mining and Metallurgy Companies). Member of different European Committees, Ventilation, gas and climate (1988-2006), Permanent Body for Safety and Health (Luxembourg, 1988-2005), Social Committee of Extractive Industries (SSDCEI, since 2006).
WG6: Legislation, European regulations and certifications
This working group aims, in the field of European legislation and regulations, at establishing mechanisms for access and dissemination of current legislation in the mining sector; evaluating the degree of compliance in the extractive industry, including cross-cutting regulations applicable to risk prevention, data protection and security plans. On the other side, the WG also seeks to promote the use of certification as an operating model for companies, for example, in the application of good practices in production and product quality, the environment, health and safety at work or energy management. The group also carries out activities to inform the administration bodies about the advantages of supporting standardization in the mining sector in order to take control and have a direct benefit on the activity of its members.
GROUP COORDINATOR
Julen Bilbao Madariaga, Technical Engineer of Mines and Degree in Mining Engineering. Director General of EPC ESPAÑA and SILEX SEGURIDAD, companies belonging to the industrial group EPC GROUPE whose main activity is the manufacture and marketing of explosives, and Technical Services for the improvement and optimization of results. He is also Managing Partner of SOTECMA (Technical Mining-Environmental Solutions). His professional career has always been linked to the mining sector, having extensive experience in advising and developing projects. In 2008 he joined EPC ESPAÑA, as Delegate of the Northern Zone, being appointed Director General in 2019. Julen has collaborated as a teacher in several courses and presentations in the field of safety, occupational risk prevention and mining with different agencies.