MEP López Aguilar is interested in the rare earth project at the University of La Laguna

The European Union is preparing regulations on Critical Raw Materials, the approval process for which would begin next September, and which includes the obligation for all member countries of the Union to periodically inform Brussels of the potential of their research and exploration projects for these critical minerals, essential for technology and renewable energies.

Thus, Spain will submit information on the potential of the Canary Islands' subsoil, as part of the overall Spanish inventory, not only of seamounts but also the very promising indications found on the surface of Fuerteventura, for example. This is the reason for the meeting held today, July 28, at the Rectorate of the University of La Laguna with the Member of the European Parliament. Juan Fernando López Aguilar, interested in learning about the projects that the academic institution has on this subject.

The researcher participated in the meeting with the rector of the educational center, Francisco García, accompanied by his vice-rector of Research and Transfer, Antonio Aparicio. Jorge Méndez Ramos, who leads the Magec REEsearch group searching for these vital minerals in the Canary Islands, and whose extraction is mostly centralized in China.

The MAGEC-REEsearch project (Materials for advanced energy generation in the Canary Islands and search for rare earth elements) has been funded since 2013 by the Cajacanarias Foundation and in subsequent calls by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Government of the Canary Islands.

At the meeting held today, the researcher from the University of La Laguna explained the potential of the mineral resources found in the Canary Islands and gave the socialist politician the opportunity to learn about the geological research being carried out in the islands, especially in Fuerteventura, as already mentioned.

For his part, López Aguilar congratulated the academic center on its research strength, adding that this work aligns with the European Commission's work on critical minerals. The MEP pledged to bring the University of La Laguna's project to the Commission's attention so that it can be included in this inventory of potential sites of interest.

Finally, the rector closed the meeting by noting that this is a key mission of the university: to transfer its knowledge to society, and he stressed the importance of promoting research in order to know for certain what we have and our potential and resources.