EU funding boosts sustainable indium mining at Germany’s Pohla mine

Saxore Bergbau

EU funding for sustainable indium mining is giving new life to Germany’s historic Pohla mine in Saxony. First Tin subsidiary Saxore Bergbau has secured support to prove that sustainable indium mining can be commercially viable through bioleaching, using micro-organisms instead of traditional smelting. The Tellerhauser project hosts more than 700t of indicated indium, alongside tin, tungsten and fluorspar, making it one of Europe’s largest indium deposits. This combination of scale and low-impact technology positions sustainable indium mining as a core element of Europe’s critical raw materials strategy.

Bioleaching moves sustainable indium mining into the low-emission era

The EU-backed XTRACT project will provide €200,000 to develop bioleaching at Pohla, with pilot operations targeted for 2026. Bioleaching, also called biomining, uses micro-organisms to dissolve metals from ore under controlled conditions. As a result, it avoids the high temperatures and sulphur dioxide emissions associated with conventional smelting. The process stabilises sulphate toxins, reduces local air pollution and allows metal recovery from low-grade tailings that would usually be discarded. If successful at industrial scale, bioleaching could prove that sustainable indium mining can both cut emissions and unlock value from legacy waste streams. This aligns closely with EU climate goals and the push to decarbonise upstream metals production.

Turning legacy mine waste into strategic critical metal supply

Pohla previously produced uranium and tin before closing in 1990, leaving behind waste piles and partially mined resources. Now, the Tellerhauser project aims to convert that legacy into a modern source of indium, tin, tungsten and fluorspar. XTRACT will also test technologies for treating old waste piles and abandoned sites, targeting both environmental remediation and recovery of additional valuable metals. In practice, that means turning historical liabilities into assets while reducing the footprint of new mining. For Europe’s electronics, photovoltaic and advanced materials sectors, sustainable indium mining at Pohla could become a blueprint for securing critical supply without repeating the environmental mistakes of past decades.

The Metalnomist Commentary

This project sits at the intersection of critical minerals security and environmental innovation. If bioleaching at Tellerhauser delivers on its promise, it could accelerate wider deployment of biomining across Europe’s legacy sites and reshape how the region views mine waste. For downstream users of indium and associated metals, the outcome will signal how fast Europe can scale cleaner, home-grown critical metal supply.