SELENA (ReaSsessmEnt of heavy mineraLs in some rivEr and mariNe placers in Albania) has been announced as the winner within the National Program for Technology and Innovation Projects (PTI 2026), according to Decision No. 10, dated 04.05.2026 of the NASRI Board of Directors, and is funded by the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (NASRI).

The project is a research and innovation initiative led by the Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geology and Mining, Polytechnic University of Tirana, in partnership with the EIT RawMaterials Regional Innovation Centre and the company BENAKS-94. The project aims at the preliminary re-evaluation of heavy minerals in some of Albania’s fluvial and marine deposits, with a particular focus on alluvial gold and strategic minerals of economic and industrial importance.

Through an integrated methodology that combines fieldwork, modern laboratory analysis, GIS mapping, and geochemical and mineralogical interpretation, the project aims to create a harmonized data base for the preliminary assessment of these minerals.

The project focuses on identifying priority areas with high potential for heavy minerals in fluvial and marine sediments across the Albanian territory, including known metallogenic areas such as Mokër-Gorë and the major river deltas of the Adriatic.

RISPECT is a project co-funded by EIT RawMaterials (Project No. 24618), aiming to transform the approach to exploring critical raw materials in countries within The Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS). By integrating synthetic hyperspectral imagery, spectral ground-penetrating radar (SGPR), and an advanced artificial intelligence platform, the project enables faster, more accurate decision-making with minimal environmental impact.
RISPECT contributes to the goals of the EU Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the EIT RawMaterials RIS Strategy, with key objectives including:

1. Reducing exploration costs by 20% and CO₂ emissions by 40%
2. Increasing social acceptance of mining operations through stakeholder engagement
3. Building capacity through training and the involvement of experts across diverse fields

For Albania, this project represents a significant step toward integration into the EU raw materials value chain, promoting innovation, international collaboration, and sustainable resource management.

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“Enhancement of Regional Collaboration in Critical Raw Materials (CRM) and Circular Economy in the Balkans” is a regional initiative led by the EIT RawMaterials Regional Innovation Center (RIC) in Albania, funded by the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans. The project addresses one of the most pressing environmental and industrial challenges in the region: the large volumes of mining and metallurgical waste in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, which contain valuable Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) essential for Europe’s green and digital transition. Instead of being treated solely as environmental liabilities, these waste deposits represent a strategic opportunity for sustainable resource recovery, circular economy innovation, and cross-border economic cooperation.

Why This Project Matters
Across the three countries, more than 150 million tonnes of legacy mining waste remain unmanaged or under-assessed, while global demand for critical minerals, such as chromium, nickel, copper, rare earths, zinc, and cobalt, continues to rise. The region lacks a coordinated framework to evaluate recovery potential, align technologies, or build joint investment pathways. This project fills that gap by creating the first trilateral cooperation platform on CRM recovery and circular economy, linking government, industry, academia, civil society, and youth.