The Environment Group consists of a multidisciplinary team of academics, research staff and postgraduates, internationally recognized through the organization and participation in scientific committees of renowned international conferences, technical committees, international research projects and strategic international cooperation in research and innovation partnerships. The Environment Group aims to increase knowledge and develop robust tools for the sustainable management of natural resources, responding to the challenges posed by the modern society through multi- and inter-disciplinary innovative research. Some key research highlights include:

1 - Protection and monitoring of natural resources:

• Characterization, management and protection of natural resources including surface / groundwater, air, soil and ecosystems;
• Development of innovative monitoring solutions to improve air, soil, surface / groundwaters and residues quality, in pilot systems, brownfields and industrial sites.

2 - Climate Change:

• Assessment of sources, evolution and impacts of climate change on ecosystems, environmental health and cultural heritage.

3 - Global environmental observation systems:

• Development of sustained global environmental observations and open information systems, to monitor and model environmental processes.

4 - Planetary Imaging and Earth analogues:

• Identification, characterization and mapping of planetary surface features using image analysis, pattern recognition tools and mathematical morphology;
• Assessment of present-day serpentinization in continental sites, as potential analogues to Mars, and its implication on methane seepage to the atmosphere.

5 - Geohazards, Risks and Prevention:

• Improvement of the capacities for forecasting, early warning, and assessing vulnerabilities and impacts of natural hazards such as seismic, volcanic, droughts and floods and technological hazards related with urban, agricultural and industrial activities, as well as risk assessment.

The Raw Materials Group brings together researchers from different fields of expertise focusing on three main areas: primary and secondary mineral raw materials; primary and secondary non-mineral raw materials and; eco-innovative materials. Challenges are tackled in a circular economy framework taking into account sustainability and efficiency of the resources, mostly in international partnerships.

Our research embraces the 5 stages of the mining life-cycle: Exploration, Extraction, Processing,Metallurgy, Mine Closure and Remediation.

We focus on:

• The development of new tools for discovery and quantification of exploitable resources, including geophysics and remote sensing;
• The development of new methods and technologies to handle the characterization and management of complex geological environments, including fast monitoring and updating of resources, uncertainty and risk assessment, geo-mechanical modelling and development of eco-efficient systems for mine design;
• The development of hydro and bio-hydrometallurgical solutions for processing ore and mine wastes that are more efficient in terms of recovery and less harmful to the environment.

Also, with the aim of reuse, reduce and recycle, in the areas of non-mineral raw materials, research is focused on developing processes, such as physical separation and biomass liquefaction to obtain new materials and improving their performance from wastes and by-products from construction, electronics, forest and food related industry, in a strong interaction with Environment and Energy Groups.

Finally, the most recent area of research is dedicated to the development of eco-innovative materials, with low carbon footprint and environmental sustainability, as well as economic and innovative potential, relying on new methods and technologies, such as CO₂ adsorption processes and microencapsulation of catalysts or toxic products.