The Official State Gazette (BOE) has released this Friday an extract of the resolution from the State Secretariat for Energy that gives the green light to the call for public grants corresponding to 2027 of the National Programme for Mineral Exploration 2026-2030 (PNEM), endowed with an overall budget of 1.4 million euros.
These grants are aimed at boosting geological-mining research work and preliminary economic evaluation studies on the possible valuation of fundamental raw materials coming from mining waste, with the objective of moving forward in making use of these resources.
The resolution specifies that the total amount of the grant totals 1.4 million euros, distributed across two separate lines: 900,000 euros for geological-mining research projects and 500,000 euros for preliminary economic evaluation studies of extraction waste.
Legal persons may apply for these grants that are the holders of authorizations for the recovery of mining waste, as well as research permits, exploitation concessions or reserves in favor of the State, provided that they meet the requirements established in the call.
National Plan for Mineral Exploration 2026-2030
The PNEM constitutes the first exploration plan that is being promoted in Spain in the last fifty years and seeks to substantially improve knowledge of the mineral resources available in the territory, in accordance with the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
At the same time, the plan promotes the circular economy through the exploration of secondary resources present in waste facilities generated by the extractive industry, both at currently operating sites and at those that have been closed or abandoned.
Interested entities wishing to access these grants may register their applications until 9 December 2026, following the procedure provided for in the call published in the BOE.