NACE 07.2 – Mining of Non-Ferrous Metal Ores | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 07.2 covers the extraction and processing of non-ferrous metal ores, including copper, aluminium (bauxite), lead, zinc, tin, manganese and precious metal ores (gold, silver, platinum). The group includes all activities of ore processing up to merchantable concentrate.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 07.2 cover?

NACE 07.2 (Mining of non-ferrous metal ores) classifies businesses engaged in non-ferrous metal ore extraction — a sector of increasing strategic relevance in public procurement as a critical raw-material source for electromobility, the energy transition and infrastructure projects.

Group 07.2 within Section B (Mining and quarrying) and Division 07 (Mining of metal ores) is broken down into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities relating to NACE 07.2 are state-owned mining companies, national raw-material agencies, defence authorities (strategic metal reserves), mints (precious metals) and research institutions.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 07.2

Non-ferrous metal ore mining is strategically significant in public procurement — critical raw materials such as copper, cobalt and lithium are deemed indispensable for the energy transition and digitalisation, which is driving state procurement initiatives.

Typical types of contract

• Ore-concentrate supply contracts: Procurement of copper, zinc or nickel concentrate for state-owned smelters
• Mining equipment: Drilling rigs, loaders, shaft-hoisting installations, ore crushers and mills
• Processing plants: Flotation plants, hydrometallurgy units, filtration plants
• Geological exploration: Drilling programmes, geochemical investigations, resource estimates
• Environment and recultivation: Tailings management, leachate treatment, dump covering
• Strategic raw-material reports: Supply-security studies, critical-raw-materials assessments

Thresholds and procedure types

Non-ferrous metal ore mining is in principle subject to classical procurement law. Exception: uranium mining and strategic raw-material procurement affecting security aspects may be subject to special national rules. Standard thresholds: supply contracts EUR 215,000, service contracts EUR 215,000, works contracts EUR 5,538,000 (as of 2024/2025).

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 07.2

CPV codes enable targeted searches for tenders relating to non-ferrous metal ore mining and related procurement.

Current tenders can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 07.2 relevant for in procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

State-owned non-ferrous metal mining companies are rare in Europe. Relevant are: national raw-material agencies (BGR Germany, GBA Austria, SGU Sweden) that commission exploration and resource studies. Defence ministries and strategic raw-material authorities procure critical metals for state reserves. Mints (Münze Österreich AG, Staatliche Münze Berlin) are contracting authorities for precious-metal supplies. Under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), new tenders for raw-material partnerships and supply-chain studies are emerging.

Companies and bidders

For tenders in non-ferrous metal ore mining and related services, the following eligibility evidence is typically required:

• Authorisation: Mining-law approvals, export licences (for strategic metals)
• Technical capacity: References for comparable mining projects and processing plants
• Economic capacity: Credit evidence, insurance cover for mining risks
• Compliance: Conflict-minerals due-diligence duties (EU Conflict Minerals Regulation 2017/821)

NACE 07.2 in context: Section B and Division 07

NACE 07.2 is part of Division 07 (Mining of metal ores) within Section B — an area of growing strategic importance due to the critical raw-material requirements of the energy transition and digitalisation.

• NACE B – Mining and quarrying: Parent section
• NACE 07.1 – Mining of iron ores: Related group for iron-ore extraction
• NACE 08.9 – Mining and quarrying n.e.c.: Salt, graphite, other minerals
• NACE 09.9 – Support activities for other mining and quarrying: Mining-technical services

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 07.2 and Public Tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 07.2? Mining companies whose economic focus lies in the extraction and processing of non-ferrous metal ores. In Europe, these include KGHM (Poland, state-owned), Boliden (Sweden, with state holdings) and Rio Tinto (EU sites).

What does the EU Critical Raw Materials Act mean for tenders? The CRMA obliges EU Member States to diversify critical raw-material sources. This leads to new public tenders for supply-security studies, exploration funding and strategic procurement partnerships — relevant for consultancies and mining service providers.

Do conflict-minerals rules apply in public tenders? Yes — the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (No 2017/821) applies to importers of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold. Contracting authorities increasingly require evidence of due diligence in the supply chain, especially in strategic metal procurement.

Where do I find tenders for critical raw materials? On TED with CPV code 14600000 (metal ores) and on the portals of national raw-material agencies. The European Commission also publishes CRM-related funding programmes via CORDIS and Horizon Europe.

Last updated: January 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.