NORGES GEOLOGISKE UNDERSOKELSE

Their core work

The Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) is Norway's national institution for geological mapping, mineral resource assessment, and subsurface data management. In H2020, they contributed expertise in critical raw materials supply chains, geological data harmonization across Europe, and exploration techniques for strategic minerals like lithium, rare earth elements, and pegmatite-hosted resources. Their work bridges geological science with Europe's industrial need for secure, sustainable mineral supply — from primary extraction to secondary recovery from mining waste and end-of-life products.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NGU's early H2020 involvement (2015–2017) focused on mapping and cataloguing mineral resources — understanding what raw materials exist, where, and in what quantities (ProSUM, MICA, MinFuture). From 2017 onward, the focus shifted toward actionable infrastructure: building European geological data platforms (GeoERA), improving data quality standards (ORAMA), and ultimately developing hands-on exploration tools for specific green-tech minerals (GREENPEG). The trajectory moves clearly from inventory and intelligence toward applied exploration and resource extraction readiness.

NGU is moving from passive data collection toward active exploration of strategic minerals critical to Europe's green energy transition — expect future work on lithium, rare earths, and battery materials sourcing.

How they like to work

NGU operates exclusively as a partner or third party — never as coordinator — which is typical for national geological surveys that contribute domain expertise and data rather than managing project logistics. With 128 unique partners across 38 countries, they are deeply embedded in the European raw materials research community and comfortable in large, multi-national consortia. Their participation in 5 CSA (Coordination and Support Action) projects signals they are valued for coordination infrastructure and data harmonization, not just scientific output.

NGU has worked with 128 different organizations across 38 countries, reflecting the broad pan-European scope of raw materials policy and geological survey coordination. Their network spans nearly all EU and associated countries, anchored in the community of national geological survey organizations.

What sets them apart

As Norway's national geological survey, NGU brings authoritative subsurface and mineral resource data that few other organizations can match — particularly for Nordic and Arctic geology. Their dual expertise in both primary mineral exploration and secondary raw materials recovery makes them valuable for projects spanning the full materials lifecycle. For consortium builders, NGU offers a credible, government-backed partner with no commercial bias, strong data infrastructure, and deep roots in the European geological surveys network.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GREENPEG
  By far their largest H2020 investment (EUR 1.55M), focused on developing exploration tools for pegmatite deposits containing lithium, rare earths, and other minerals critical to Europe's green transition.
• GeoERA
  A flagship coordination project (2017–2022) that established a unified European geological research area, connecting geological surveys across the continent into a shared service platform.
• ORAMA
  Directly addressed the quality gap in European raw materials data — covering primary minerals, mining waste, batteries, and electronic waste in a single data framework.