RESOURCEFULL

Their core work

RESOURCEFULL is a Belgian SME based in Leuven that specializes in turning industrial waste streams into construction materials and recovering critical metals from mining and metallurgical residues. They develop cementitious products from by-products like bauxite residue (red mud), spent pot lining, and sulphidic mining waste, while also extracting rare earth elements and other valuable metals. Their work sits at the intersection of circular economy and the construction sector — converting what others discard into durable, lower-carbon building materials.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

RESOURCEFULL's early H2020 work (2018) centered on metal recovery — extracting rare earth elements and critical metals from mining waste and aluminium production by-products (NEMO, RemovAL). Their more recent projects shifted toward sustainable construction chemistry: alkali-activated binders, alternative cements, zero-waste material cycles, and carbon footprint reduction (DuRSAAM, FlashPhos). The trajectory is clear — they moved upstream from "recover metals from waste" to "design the entire material loop so nothing becomes waste in the first place."

RESOURCEFULL is moving toward full circular-economy material design — expect future work in low-carbon cements and thermochemical recycling of complex waste streams.

How they like to work

RESOURCEFULL operates exclusively as a participant or third-party contributor, never as a coordinator — typical for a specialist SME that brings deep technical know-how rather than project management capacity. With 81 unique partners across 22 countries in just 4 projects, they work in large Innovation Action consortia where their role is to contribute specific materials expertise. This broad network suggests they are well-connected and trusted as a technical partner, even if they don't lead.

Despite only four projects, RESOURCEFULL has built a remarkably wide network of 81 partners across 22 countries, reflecting the large-scale Innovation Action consortia they join. Their reach is pan-European with no obvious geographic concentration beyond their Belgian base.

What sets them apart

RESOURCEFULL occupies a niche that few SMEs cover: they bridge the gap between metallurgical waste processing and construction material development. While many groups focus on either metal extraction or cement formulation, RESOURCEFULL handles both sides — recovering valuable metals AND turning the remaining residue into usable building products. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination of circular economy expertise with hands-on knowledge of industrial residues from mining, aluminium, and now sewage sludge sectors.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RemovAL
  Largest funding (EUR 226,100) and tackles one of Europe's biggest industrial waste challenges — aluminium production residues including red mud, with recovery of gallium and rare earth elements.
• FlashPhos
  Most recent project (2021-2026) signals a strategic pivot into thermochemical recycling of sewage sludge, expanding RESOURCEFULL's scope beyond mining/metallurgical waste into municipal waste streams.
• DuRSAAM
  An MSCA training network — unusual for a private SME to participate in doctoral-level research training, indicating strong academic credibility in alkali-activated materials.