10039490UNEXUP. UNEXMIN UPSCALINGClosedEU-FundedHorizon Europe GuaranteeThe purpose of UNEXUP is to commercially deploy a new mineral exploration / mine mapping service based on a new class of mine explorer robots for the re-surveying of Europe’s flooded mines that cannot be explored by any other means. The inaccessibility of the operational environment makes autonomy a critical and primary objective of the project that will represent a substantial effort in re-surveying mineral deposits in Europe where the major challenges are the geological uncertainty, technological and economic feasibility of mine development. UNEXUP has opened up long-term cooperation possibilities between Europe’s raw materials (mining, surveying, geological consulting, etc) and robotic technology provider sectors where the aim is to reduce the current high and growing costs for exploration. Our robot’s ability to bring back high-quality, high-resolution information from currently inaccessible mine sites will also increase our knowledge of mineral deposits in Europe whilst reducing exploration costs (such as the amount of expensive deep drilling needed). UNEXUP strengthens an already existing autonomous robotic solution developed in the Horizon 2020 funded project UNEXMIN (Underwater Explorer for Flooded Mines, https://innovateuk.my.salesforce.com/apex/AFSC__UrlCheck?id=05a3A4I000007VvlBUAS (www·unexmin·eu)), to explore underground flooded mines otherwise inaccessible without high costs and human risks. As a result of UNEXUP a novel surveying system has been introduced to the European market that will have the ability to produce geological, mineralogical and spatial information in the safest way possible from flooded mines and other underwater confined environments, filling a specific market need that is not currently covered. The project targets stakeholders from the mining, robotics and mineral exploration sectors as well as all other sectors that have any kind of underwater structure that needs to be surveyed - caves and fisheries are among them. The robotic platform has been tested in a number of sites across Europe to prove the concept up to a near-market level (TRL 7/8). This was achieved by using the technology to survey flooded mines and retrieving important geological and spatial information that can lead to consideration of reopening mines across Europe, while using a sustainable and cost effective exploration technology. UNEXUP will directly and indirectly create jobs, foster economies and contribute to solve the raw materials dependency within EU and UK. UNEXUP is a continuation of the UNEXMIN project, funded by the EC H2020 programme. InnovateUK funding in 2021 and 2022 supported continued participation of the UK consortium member and use of UK test sites in Cornwall and Staffordshire.