The RockChain project addressed the interoperability between ornamental rock waste management and blockchain technology, promoting its proper treatment through educational training and contributing to the sustainability and circularity of the ornamental rock sector. The main objective was to provide professionals in the stone industry with digital training tools that enhanced their qualifications in response to emerging labour and social needs related to digitisation.
We applied for RockChain to respond to a twin challenge in the ornamental stone value chain: (1) the high volume of quarrying and processing residues (including fines and sludge) that still generate significant environmental pressures; and (2) the increasing need for reliable, auditable waste data to comply with circular-economy requirements and enable secondary raw-materials markets. While blockchain (combined with IoT/data analytics) can provide secure traceability and prevent data manipulation, the sector remains low-digitised and many workers—especially professionals over 45—lack the digital competences to adopt these tools. Existing training in blockchain or waste management is largely generic and rarely addresses quarry/plant workflows. RockChain was therefore designed to close this gap through a European, sector-specific adult-learning pathway (curriculum, learning materials and an interactive e-learning tool/OER) that turns circularity and traceability concepts into practical, job-relevant skills.