The European LIFE HERMES project has held its kick-off meeting in Almadén, marking the start of four years of work to demonstrate an innovative, safe and less invasive solution for the remediation of soils affected by mercury contamination. 

The LIFE HERMES project — Harmonized Efforts for Reducing Mercury Emissions Safely — began in autumn 2025 with a meeting held in Almadén, Ciudad Real, where the participating organisations defined the project roadmap and coordinated the first steps towards implementation. 

Co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, LIFE HERMES aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of an in situ chemical stabilisation technique for treating mercury-contaminated soils. This solution reduces the mobility of the contaminant directly in the ground, avoiding the excavation, transport and disposal of large quantities of soil. 

Compared with traditional ex situ methods, the proposed technology offers significant advantages. Among other benefits, it is less invasive, reduces disturbance to the surrounding environment, lowers the risk of mercury dispersion during operations and may be more cost-effective. Its application can also be adapted to the specific conditions and contamination levels of each site. 

Two mining sites of major historical and environmental value 

The solution will be demonstrated at two former European mining sites closely linked to the history of mercury production. The first is the Cerco de Almadenejos, in the province of Ciudad Real, located within what was once the world’s largest mercury-mining district. The project will intervene across an area of approximately 27,000 square metres at this site. 

The second pilot site will be the Abbadia San Salvatore mine in Tuscany, Italy, one of the world’s leading historical centres of mercury production. An area of approximately 1,000 square metres will be treated there.  

In addition to reducing the environmental risks associated with contamination, LIFE HERMES will pay particular attention to preserving the historical and mining heritage of both sites. 

Restoring the environment and returning spaces to local communities

The intervention will not end with mercury stabilisation. Once the land has been treated, the project will implement environmental restoration and revegetation measures using species adapted to local conditions. 

As part of the project, work will be carried out with the communities of Almadenejos and Abbadia San Salvatore to define new educational, cultural and social uses for the restored areas. The participation of local residents will be essential to incorporating their expectations, strengthening their connection with the mining heritage and supporting a lasting transformation of both sites. 

The methodology and results obtained will subsequently be transferred to two additional sites in Spain and Slovenia, with the aim of facilitating their application in other European areas affected by contamination resulting from former mining activities. 

A scientific, business and institutional partnership 

LIFE HERMES is coordinated by Minas de Almadén y Arrayanes, S.A., S.M.E. (MAYASA) and brings together Magnesitas Navarras — Terresis, the University of Castilla-La Mancha, the DIOPMA – Design and Optimisation of Processes and Materials research group at the University of Barcelona, and the Unione dei Comuni Amiata Val d’Orcia in Italy. 

The project will run from September 2025 to August 2029 and has a total budget of approximately €2.84 million, of which around €1.70 million is provided by the European Union. 

In recent months, progress has been made on the environmental characterisation of the sites, the detailed design of the interventions and the engagement of local communities, laying the foundations for the subsequent application and demonstration of the technology.