BERUFSVERBAND DEUTSCHER GEOWISSENSCHAFTLER EV

Their core work

BDG is the professional association for geoscientists in Germany, representing geologists, mining engineers, and earth scientists working across industry, government, and academia. In EU projects, they contribute professional workforce expertise — connecting the geoscience community with research initiatives on raw materials, mineral exploration, and geothermal energy. Their practical role is bridging the gap between scientific research and the professionals who will apply it in the field, providing input on training needs, professional standards, and industry adoption of new exploration and extraction technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), BDG focused on international raw materials cooperation, mineral exploration technologies, and deep geothermal-metal extraction — technically oriented projects like INTRAW, CHPM2030, and INFACT. From 2019 onward, the emphasis shifted toward workforce training (intermin), community engagement and social acceptance of extractive industries (CROWDTHERMAL, SUMEX), and robotic mining innovation (ROBOMINERS). The trajectory shows a clear move from pure exploration science toward the human and societal dimensions of resource extraction — training the next generation and earning public trust for mining operations.

BDG is moving toward the people side of mining — expect future involvement in just transition, skills gaps, and community acceptance frameworks for extractive industries.

How they like to work

BDG participates exclusively as a third party — they have never coordinated or been a direct consortium partner in their 8 H2020 projects. This is consistent with their role as a professional association: they provide access to the geoscience professional community, disseminate results to practitioners, and contribute workforce perspectives, rather than conducting research themselves. Despite this supporting role, they are remarkably well-connected, with 109 unique consortium partners across 33 countries, suggesting they are a trusted door to the German geoscience profession.

BDG has connections to 109 unique partners across 33 countries — an exceptionally broad network for an organization that only participates as a third party. Their reach spans nearly all EU member states plus international partners, reflecting the global nature of the raw materials and geoscience community.

What sets them apart

BDG offers something research institutes and universities cannot: direct access to the practicing geoscience profession in Germany. As the professional body for geologists and mining engineers, they can validate whether research outputs match real industry needs, help disseminate findings to the practitioners who will use them, and provide workforce data on skills gaps. For any consortium working on raw materials, mineral exploration, or geothermal energy, BDG adds credibility and a ready-made dissemination channel to thousands of working professionals.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ROBOMINERS
  Ambitious project developing bio-inspired modular robotic miners for small and difficult-to-access deposits — represents the frontier of automated extraction technology.
• CHPM2030
  Unusual combination of geothermal energy with metal extraction from ultra-deep ore bodies — a rare convergence of energy and mining in a single concept.
• CROWDTHERMAL
  Focuses on community-based financing and social engagement for geothermal energy — addresses the often-neglected public acceptance barrier to renewable energy deployment.