IDENER TECHNOLOGIES SL

Their core work

IDENER is a Spanish technology SME specializing in process optimization, advanced metallurgy, and computational modelling for resource recovery and industrial applications. They develop software tools and simulation models that help extract valuable metals from ores, wastes, and industrial by-products — particularly critical raw materials like cobalt, tungsten, and rare earth elements. They also build agent-based models for policy assessment and apply electrochemical and hydrometallurgical techniques to circular economy challenges. Their technical contribution typically sits at the intersection of mathematical modelling, process engineering, and data-driven optimization.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015–2018, IDENER's portfolio was diverse and exploratory: mixed-reality training systems (LAW-TRAIN), industrial process optimization (FUDIPO, COCOP), and early involvement in raw materials networks (MSP-REFRAM, REE4EU, SCRREEN). From 2019 onward, they concentrated sharply on critical raw materials recovery using advanced metallurgical techniques — ionometallurgy, electrochemistry, bioleaching, and solvometallurgy became dominant keywords. Simultaneously, they stepped into coordinator roles on larger projects (ION4RAW, ZEOCAT-3D, AGRICORE), signalling a shift from broad participant to focused technical leader in resource recovery and process chemistry.

IDENER is consolidating as a specialist in advanced metallurgical processing for critical raw materials — expect them to pursue battery recycling, rare earth recovery, and green chemistry projects in Horizon Europe.

How they like to work

IDENER primarily operates as a participant (18 of 23 projects) but has taken on coordination in 4 projects, including their largest-funded ones (ION4RAW, AGRICORE), showing growing leadership ambition. With 306 unique consortium partners across 28 countries, they are a well-connected hub rather than a loyal repeat-partner organization. Their typical consortium is mid-to-large (RIA and IA projects), and their broad network suggests they are easy to integrate into new consortia and bring cross-domain connections.

IDENER has worked with 306 different partners across 28 countries, making them one of the more broadly networked SMEs in the raw materials space. Their geographic spread covers most of the EU, with no strong concentration beyond their home base in southern Spain.

What sets them apart

IDENER combines computational modelling expertise with hands-on metallurgical process knowledge — a rare mix among SMEs. While many raw materials projects involve either modellers or chemists, IDENER bridges both, building simulation and optimization tools for hydrometallurgical, ionometallurgical, and electrochemical processes. Their trajectory from participant to coordinator on increasingly focused projects shows a company that has found its niche and is scaling up within it.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ION4RAW
  Their largest project (EUR 1.05M as coordinator), focused on ionometallurgy for primary raw materials — represents their core technical identity.
• AGRICORE
  Second-largest funding (EUR 973K as coordinator) in an unexpected domain — agent-based agricultural policy modelling — demonstrating their versatility in computational modelling beyond metallurgy.
• CROCODILE
  First-of-a-kind compact cobalt recovery system combining bioleaching, ionometallurgy, and electrochemistry — a flagship application of their combined process expertise.