The implementation of the RIS-CuRE project, funded by the EIT-Regional Institute for Innovation and Technology, which is part of the prestigious European fund Horizon 2020, started in early 2019 (01/01/2019 - 31/12/2021) and covers 14 partner organizations from 8 countries.

Civil Engineering Institute Macedonia (CEIM) is one of the partners in this project and together with UGD and GeoZS during June performed drilling samples from the tailings of the copper ore mine "Buchim", which are preparing for further analysis and other types of examinations. The aim of the project is to establish a network of stakeholders in the Cu value chain in the region of Eastern and Southeastern Europe, in order to promote an innovative service for the extraction of zero scrap metals (Cu, Ag, As, Au and REE) from copper-Cu mining waste, generated from previous mining activities. This will contribute to increasing competitiveness in the region and will serve as a source of metals for the EU.

Partners in the RIS CuRE project are:

• Zavod za gradbenistvo Slovenije, ZAG (Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute)
• Geological Survey of Slovenia, GeoZS
• Gomez Pardo Foundation
• IRGO Consulting
• Outotec (Finland) Oy
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa (Patron ZAG)
• Chamber of Commerce Serbia (Patron ZAG)
• Civil Engineering Institute Macedonia (Patron ZAG)
• DPTU BUCHIM DOO (Patron GeoZS)
• ELEM Macedonian Power Plants (Patron ZAG)
• Goce Delcev University Štip (Patron GeoZS)
• Ekolive s.r.o.;
• University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor (Patron GeoZS)
• University of Petrosani (Patron ZAG)