Proceedings

Proceedings of the 51st Conference of Metallurgists,
Held With Pressure Hydrometallurgy
September 30 to October 3, 2012, Niagara, Ontario, Canada

The Second International Symposium on Pressure Hydrometallurgy is organized by the Hydrometallurgy Section of the Metallurgy and Materials Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) and constitutes its 42nd Annual Hydrometallurgy Meeting. A primary goal of these meetings is to bring together scientists and engineers representing metal producers, equipment suppliers, engineering firms, test laboratories and academia from around the world to share knowledge and exchange ideas. Pressure Hydrometallurgy 2012 builds on the foundations established by the first Pressure Hydrometallurgy conference, held in Banff in 2004.

Since the mid-1980s, we have seen a significant and accelerating number of advancements in technology which continue to enhance our quality of life. These technologies, be they in the areas of renewable energy production, energy storage or demand-side energy efficiency, hybrid vehicles, tablet computers, smartphones, digital displays or lasers all rely on materials made possible by the rare earth elements (commonly referred to as “rare earths”). Consumer and policy-driven demand for these advanced technology products has strained the supply of available rare earths. The rare earth supply chain, from mine to final product, is complex and relatively long, and faces a number of unique challenges particularly as it is in its relatively early stages of development. It is therefore critically important to conduct research on all steps of the supply chain, from geology, extraction, separation and refining, to final product design, and lifecycle management and recycling. Also important is an understanding of the economic and environmental issues related to meeting the demand for rare earth based materials. This inaugural Rare Earths Symposium at the Conference of Metallurgists aims to provide a collaborative forum to discuss these critical and timely issues.