SUSTAINABLE STONE BY PORTUGAL AGENDA HIGHLIGHTED DURING GLOBAL STONE CONGRESS 2025 IN GREECE
Today, June 19, the Sustainable Stone by Portugal Agenda was presented on the fourth day of the Global Stone Congress 2025, highlighting Portugal’s role as an international benchmark in the sustainable natural stone sector. 🌍♻️ The ACPMR, as the coordinating body of the Agenda, presented the work carried out, the status of its implementation, and reinforced the importance of collaboration between companies, universities and research centers in building a more innovative and competitive future for the sector. The presentation was also attended by the Universidade de Évora, as a partner university of the Agenda. This moment represented an appreciation of the collective effort that is driving the green and digital transition of the Portuguese natural stone industry.
3RD DAY AT THE GLOBAL STONE CONGRESS 2025
The third day of the congress, 18 june, was marked by sessions on automation, digitization, circular economy and sustainability in the natural stone sector. The Fravizel and University of Évora Associates were actively present in the technical sessions with relevant contributions to the innovation and sustainability of the sector. The day culminated with a gala dinner, promoting networking between participants from various parts of the world.
INVESTIGATION, INDUSTRY AND CULTURE HIGHLIGHT THE SECOND DAY OF THE CONGRESS
The second day of the Global Stone Congress 2025 was marked by highly relevant technical sessions, specialized visits and a strong Portuguese representation. ACPMR, together with its members ASSIMAGRA, Fravizel SA and the University of Évora, are actively participating in the discussions that are shaping the future of natural stone. The day’s agenda included: Technical sessions by various organizations and professionals on the subject of “NATURAL STONE EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERISATION”.Technical visit to the F.H.L. KIRIAKIDIS MARBLES & GRANITES S.A. factory, an industrial benchmark in Greece. Cultural closing of the day at the Archaeological Museum of Drama, celebrating the symbolic and historical importance of marble.
O GLOBAL STONE CONGRESS 2025 JÁ COMEÇOU – E A ACPMR ESTÁ PRESENTE!
De 16 a 20 de junho, a cidade de Drama, na Grécia, acolhe um dos mais importantes eventos internacionais dedicados ao setor da pedra natural. A ACPMR – Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources Association marca presença neste importante congresso, onde se reúnem especialistas, investigadores, empresas e instituições de todo o mundo para debater o futuro dos recursos minerais, a inovação no setor, a sustentabilidade e a transição verde. O Global Stone Congress é um espaço de excelência para partilha de conhecimento técnico e científico, networking internacional e promoção de boas práticas no setor da pedra natural. O programa inclui conferências, sessões técnicas, mesas-redondas, apresentações científicas e visitas a pedreiras e unidades industriais da região.
ACPMR WILL PRESENT RISE PROJECT DURING GLOBAL STONE CONGRESS IN GREECE
We’re excited to present the RISE I3 project at this year’s Global Stone Congress! The seminar will explore how RISE – funded by the European Union through the I3 Instrument – is helping less developed and transition regions scale up circular economy solutions in key sectors like construction, rawmaterials, and advanced manufacturing. Join us as we discuss: How to bridge the “Valley of Death” for circular innovations What it takes to build cross-regional investment pipelines The role of SmartSpecialisationStrategies Opportunities to collaborate and scale sustainable solutions We’ll close with an open brainstorming session to co-create ideas on how circular innovation can drive Green Deal and digital transition goals in your region or sector.
AROUND THE SUSTAINABLE STONE BY PORTUGAL AGENDA – ACPMR
The SUSTAINABLE STONE BY PORTUGAL Agenda, within the scope of the PRR, has a financial execution of around 50% and a physical execution of over 55%. These results, the fruit of collaborative work between 52 organisations, are now being monitored on the ground by the MINERAL RESOURCES CLUSTER. On 6 June, the Cluster team spent the morning looking at the results of activity 3.3. New processes for Natural Stone, as part of WP 3- Connect Stone, where Arrow4D is developing two solutions. The aim of this initiative is to get to know in person what is being developed, to understand how the different partners are working towards common goals, to support solutions to mitigate difficulties and, in the end, to have an overall view of the entire Agenda. This sharing and working in partnership also has the objective of visioning the future, for systematic work on innovation.
DIGITALBUILT PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT PORTUGAL RAILWAY SUMMIT 2025
The Portugal Mineral Resources Cluster Association, together with partners CCF – Railway Competence Centre Association, Itecons and PTPC, are representing the DIGITALbuilt project, exhibited on a stand, at the largest national railway event – the Portugal Railway Summit 2025, which took place between 21 and 22 May at the National Railway Museum in Entroncamento. DIGITALbuilt is the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), which provides services for digital transformation, training, digital inclusion, support in finding funding and intermediation, SME incubation services and digital maturity diagnostics. The aim? To increase competitiveness, sustainability and efficiency! The event was organised by the PFP – Portuguese Railway Cluster Platform Association, which is also a partner of the DIGITALbuilt Project.
3RD INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON NEW STONE CONSTRUCTIONS
The III International Symposium on New Constructions with Stone took place on 13 and 14 May at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Beira Interior (Covilhã, Portugal) and at the Pinhel School Grouping, in the city of Pinhel (Portugal).The Symposium was an excellent opportunity for discussion between different players in the sector, from industry, design, academia and public organisations.As well as presentations by experts, there were experimental tests and workshops on connections in new stone structures.The Symposium was supported by the University of Beira Interior, the Portugal Mineral Resources Cluster Association, the Municipality of Pinhel, the Foundation for Science and Technology, the Pinhel School Group and the company Marfilpe.
ACPMR BROUGHT THE WORLD OF MINERAL RESOURCES TO THE STUDENTS OF ELVAS
On 12 May, the ACPMR organised another educational activity, ‘The Mineral Applications Suitcase’, with 100 8th grade students from the Elvas Nº2 School Group. From the north to the south of the country, ACPMR visits schools to hold educational sessions as part of the ‘Minerals are life’ awareness campaign, in which samples are made available and students learn what the products they use every day are made of! During the session, students are made aware of the need for sustainable exploitation and use of mineral resources, and each session ends with an educational game in which the winning teams receive prizes. Your school could be next! Get in touch with us. This game is funded by the European Union.
VISIT TO THE SÃO DOMINGOS MINE HIGHLIGHTS THE SECOND DAY OF THE INTERREG EMRIE PROJECT IN PORTUGAL
On 7th of May, the historic São Domingos Mine, located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, was the scene of an emblematic visit that took place on the second day of the Kick-Off Meeting of the Interreg EMRIE project. This historic mining site, which once provided resources such as copper, sulphur, zinc, lead, gold and silver, served as the backdrop for a current reflection on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable mining in Europe. Coordinated by the Alentejo Regional Coordination and Development Commission, it aims to promote more innovative, resilient extraction and management practices in line with the ecological and digital transition. More than a technical visit, it symbolised the dialogue between past and future: from an industrial legacy marked by environmental impacts, to a new era of heritage enhancement, ecological regeneration and circular economy. This is just the start of an ambitious collaboration that aims to transform the way Europe looks at its critical raw materials.