ASSIMAGRA - Portuguese Association of Mineral Resources is a not-for- profit industry association, founded in 1964, which has limited its activity in close harmony with its mission to "promote and strengthen permanent Portuguese mineral resources, with a view to expanding its economic, social and cultural recognition, founded on principles and values that always promote its sustainability and balance in the environment in which it acts."

It´s Mission is contributing to the technological and economic development of the sector. Intervene in a consolidated and structured way with the official bodies, in defence and representation of the sector. Promote the contact between the associates and their joint commercial activity, taking advantage of synergies and enhancing the capacity of commercial action in the market. Promote contact and interconnection with representative organizations and associations of upstream and downstream sectors. Promote collaboration with national and foreign counterparts.

The strategy implemented by ASSIMAGRA is based on the quest for sustainability and transformation of the mining industry in Portugal, focusing on 5 key axes:
Innovation, development and technology, possessing with specific expertise in research, technology transfer, demonstration and technical support to the development and transformation of the Portuguese mining industry, always in a collaborative approach with other entities within the scientific and technological system – For this aim ASSIMAGRA as some permanent and active partnerships with the Universities of Lisbon, Évora and Oporto. It also as some occasional partnerships with other universities, depending on the scope. The National and international experience of the Association in research and technological development combined with technical know-how and highly qualified human resources in all areas of the value chain of the mineral resources are the assurances that the sector in Portugal is, in terms of knowledge and technology, the most advanced at European level.
The partnerships with the Universities are also linked with the Training and Development of new skills needed for the Natural Stone Sector. Some years ago, the search for solutions passed, almost always, by geology-related engineering or related qualified skills equivalent with more or less the same objective, nowadays the needs and respective demand has broadly extended its scope. That’s the reason why ASSIMAGRA, among the partnerships that we have, as a close relation with many different courses that somehow are related with the Natural Stone, such as: Geology Engineering; Geology, Architecture,
Landscape Design Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design, Sculpture, Industrial Production Engineering, Materials Engineering, etc. More recently ASSIMAGRA, also under this scope as launched two initiatives related to entrepreneurship with the creation of two Creativity Ideas Contests for the Natural Stone Sector;
Expertise in the environment, spatial planning and knowledge of the territory, with significant experience at the level of territorial management and geological knowledge, promoting and supporting the good territorial management practices in the mining industry in Portugal, and developing methodological guidance and technical criteria that ensure an adequate organisation, recovery and use of the national territory;
Promotion of Mineral Resources and Companies, organising collective participation of Portuguese companies in major world events of the mineral resources sector, metals or non-metals, providing knowledge on the potential of mineral resources, promoting the uptake of investment for the development of mining projects in Portugal, as well as supporting companies in their internationalisation process and approach to the markets. Also under this internationalization scope ASSIMAGRA, as started to work closely with a small set of Architects and Designers, in a very innovative project, with the aim to promote the Portuguese Natural Stone for this kind of target;
It also as a close relation with several national laboratories that are accredited to test the natural stone. Under this scope, and always with the aim to value the Portuguese Stone, ASSIMAGRA is leading the development of the Brand for the Portuguese Natural Stone Laboratories.
Encouraging innovation and business qualification, supporting external markets, planning and spatial planning policies, improving skills and working conditions, valuing good professional practices, self-regulation of the sector, and national and international promotion of the Portuguese Natural Stone are specific practices and competences of the Association - which currently has more than 200 associated SMEs - which have been reinforced, year after year, throughout its 50 years of history."