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Innovative snowmaking project using minerals to enhance efficiency

Researchers are developing a more efficient and sustainable method of producing artificial snow using a mineral-based approach. This initiative, currently being tested under real conditions at La Molina ski station, is the culmination of years of interdisciplinary research.

Albert Verdaguer during the TV3 report from La Molina

The project began with studies on the molecular behavior of water in contact with materials, combined with atmospheric science research on cloud formation, rain, and snow. In 2015, with support from the snowmaking systems multinational TechnoAlpin, researchers launched a study aiming to identify eco-friendly materials that replicate the natural snow formation process in clouds.

Raquel Gimeno and Laura Rodríguez, ICMAB reserachers and members of the project in La Molina | ICMAB, CSIC

By 2018, the team achieved positive results in the laboratory using a specific type of feldspar, a naturally occurring mineral, which demonstrated high efficiency in ice and snow formation.

According to Albert Verdaguer, ICMAB researcher and principal investigator of the project, “This feldspar-based technology mimics the natural process of snow formation in clouds but achieves it in a controlled and efficient way.” Verdaguer emphasized that the key advantage lies in using a material that is both effective and environmentally friendly.

Since 2021, the project has moved into real-world applications at La Molina ski resort, collaborating with international experts in ice and snow from Germany, the UK, Canada, and the US, as well as local entities like the University of Barcelona (Geology Faculty), Feldespats Llançà, and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC).

A Snow Laboratory was inaugurated in 2022-2023 snow season at La Molina to advance these studies. “The transition from lab to real-world conditions has been challenging but vital to understanding how this technology can operate under practical constraints,” Verdaguer explained.

Snow making in La Molina | ICMAB, CSIC

Over the next three years, extensive testing will ensure the viability of this mineral-based snowmaking system. The ultimate goal is to create a sustainable snow production method that reduces energy and water consumption while enabling snowmaking at higher temperatures, ensuring the viability of ski resorts in the context of climate change.

This initiative is supported by funding from the Proyectos de Colaboración Público-Privada (CCP2021-0090939), part of Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation, through Next Generation EU funds.

The project was recently featured in a TV3 report that explores the future of ski resorts in a warming climate. Watch the report here: TV3 Report on Snow Production and Ski Resort Sustainability.

We are publishing this news today to mark World Snow Day, celebrated the third Sunday of January (this year on 19 January 2025), which highlights the importance of snow and winter sports in our culture and communities.

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Anna May

20 January 2025