'Rare Metals': Weird or Indispensable
Description
The 'Mining' department and the 'Engineering, Society & Economics' department of the Royal Institute of Engineers KIVI NIRIA are organising:
Evening seminar 'Rare Metals: Weird or Indispensable?
on Monday, 1 November 2010, starting at 19:00 at the KIVI NIRIA building in The Hague.
Explanation:
Lithium, Scandium, Ytrium, Europium, Terbium, Dysprosium and Neodium, do you also use it every day? They are all minerals that are increasingly being incorporated as important 'by-products' in contemporary materials. Due to their specific properties, these 'rare metals' form an increasingly relevant, indispensable, link in our high-technology society: in computers, batteries, wind turbines, 'mobiles', hybrid cars, TVs, medical and defence applications, catalysts and improved alloys/material properties, among others.
Not surprisingly, demand, and market prices, for these minerals have risen significantly over the past 10 years, and countries like China and America are engaged in a veritable search for ore deposits of these metals in Africa, Bolivia and Afghanistan, among others. The EU is preparing special regulations to improve/secure the availability of these metals (for Europe). To build strategic stocks, and 'to secure interests'.
The question is therefore: 'How do we get these metals, who has them, who gets them, and at what price?'
Participation is free for members of the sections and is on a first-come-first-served basis
19:00 Reception with coffee/tea
19:30 Presentation by Dr J.H.L Voncken (Assistant Professor of Applied Geology, Department of Geotechnology, TU Delft):
'Rare (Earth) Metals: occurrences, production and applications'
20:00 Presentation by Mr Max van der Zwet (Director Van der Zwet Metals):
'Availability High-Tech metals'
20:30 Presentation by Mr Michel Rademaker MTL (Plv. Director Market and Internal Affairs, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies):
'Rare metals: Geopolitical considerations'
21:00 Room discussion: 'Rare metals: How long?'
21:15 Drinks and after-dinner discussion
Location
Prinsessegracht 23, 2514 AP The Hague
Organiser
Mining
Technology, Society & Economy
Name and contact details for information
Allert Adema