The original version of this book was produced by the ‘European Intelligence Network for Europe’ (Minerals4EU) project. This project was a collaboration of 26 European national geological surveys and 5 other institutions, funded by the European Union Seventh Framework Programme. [Grant agreement number: 608921; Funding Scheme: FP7-NMP-2013: 4.1-3 –CSA (COORDINATING)]

This Yearbook is the main deliverable from Work Package 4 of the above project which was led by the British Geological Survey. The data were compiled with the assistance of the geological surveys of Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland; and also the Wuppertal Institute from Germany. The technical aspects relating to the digital delivery of this Yearbook were completed by BRGM, the French Geological Survey.

The new datasets demonstrating selected social and environmental aspects of mineral extraction were produced by the ‘Optimising quality of information in Raw Material data collection across Europe’ (ORAMA) project. This project was a collaboration of 16 partners funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 programme. Grant agreement number: 776517; Funding Scheme: H2020-SC5-15-2017-CSA.

Updates to certain datasets were provided by the ‘Mineral Intelligence for Europe’ (Mintell4EU) project, a collaboration between 27 partners. This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme under grant agreement number 731166. It formed part of the European Geological Survey Organisations’ GeoERA research area.

The completion of any Yearbook such as this is only possible with the help of a very large number of individuals and organisations located within the countries included in the book. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged even though it is not possible to list them individually here.

The use of information contained within this Yearbook is at the users own risk. Whilst the compilers have taken care to ensure that the information in this Yearbook is as free from error as is reasonably practical, this material is sourced from a wide variety of sources and in most cases this has had to be accepted at ‘face value’ and in good faith. The compilers give no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality, accuracy, precision, performance or merchantability of the information contained in this Yearbook, or to the information’s suitability for any use or purpose. The compilers accept no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurrence however caused.