EMPRC 2018 – First European Mineral Processing and Recycling Congress
The focuses of the congress will be the processing technology, including the characterization of raw materials, comminution, as well as classifying and sorting to dewatering, process water treatment and process simulation. A second topical focus deals with all kinds of primary and secondary raw materials, such as ores, slags and ashes, waste and soil contaminations. In the third thematic block more general aspects, such as life cycle considerations, environmental influences as well as social and political acceptance will be discussed.
The congress is organized by the GDMB Gesellschaft der Metallurgen und Bergleute e.V. while Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Elwert from the Technical University Clausthal is the Chairman of the Scientific Committee and the person responsible for the content-related, scientific orientation.
Dr. Petra Strunk, Editor-in-Chief of AT MINERAL PROCESSING, had the opportunity to meet Prof. Elwert in Clausthal and to already learn some details about the event which will take place next June.
AT: A new congress - the 1st EMPRC – will take place in Essen in 2018. What is the idea behind it?
Prof. Elwert: The GDMB has been hosting the EMC – the European Metallurgical Conference – since 2001. Now the idea was to complement this congress by an event which addresses the physical and physico-chemical processing technology and is positioned “thematically upstream” of the EMC – so to speak.
To my knowledge, there is currently no European processing congress that deals with all the topics regarding the processing of primary and secondary raw materials in a pan-European way.
AT: Essen was chosen as the venue for the first EMPRC – what makes this location so special?
Prof. Elwert: It was important for us to find the required infrastructure and a venue of exactly the right size. And Essen provided both the accessibility, the accommodation facilities and the capacity of the available halls for this purpose.
AT: In the announcement of the congress it was emphasized that a particular concern was to bring industry and science together – how will this be put into practice in the course of the congress?
Prof. Elwert: It already starts with the structure of the scientific committee, with half of the members from industry, half from research institutions. As the committee is also responsible for the content combination of the program, we guarantee a balanced ratio of scientific lectures and practice-oriented presentations. And we hope that such a program will attract participants from both areas – from scientific facilities and industry.
All entries submitted will have to undergo a peer review process, so we are able to control the standard of the congress: the focus will be on interesting projects, special developments, the latest research results. Here, it is not only about primary raw materials, but also about the processing of secondary raw materials. One focus is for example the processing of electronic waste.
AT: What are the highlights of the congress for its visitors?
Prof. Elwert: The highlights will certainly be the high-profile plenary speakers whom we selected and invited. Altogether, 4 plenary speeches are planned. Further lectures will be presented in two parallel sessions on the respective thematic focuses. On the first evening, a get-together is planned, which will provide guests with the opportunity to exchange information and to establish new contacts in a more casual environment.
In addition, institutions and companies will have the possibility to introduce their research activities or products within the context of an accompanying exhibition.
AT: What circle of participants does the EMPRC address?
Prof. Elwert: We address, above all, plant manufacturers, recyclers, processing companies, research facilities and engineering offices. The congress language of this European meeting will be English.
AT: What is the deadline for the submission of congress papers?
Prof. Elwert: The deadline will be September 30, 2017. We are still looking forward to receiving further papers. Papers on new developments and projects from the industrial sector would, in fact, complement the content presentation.
AT: Prof Elwert, thank you for the interesting insights into the preparation of the EMPRC 2018. I wish you a successful congress!
Prof. Elwert studied Environmental Protection Technology at the Clausthal Institute of Technology (TU Clausthal), where he graduated with a master’s degree. Afterwards, he worked in a Hamburg-based engineering office focusing on waste water and sludge treatment. For his doctorate, he returned to the TU Clausthal where he concerned himself intensively with the recycling of electronic and hybrid vehicles, mainly with the components of traction battery, electric motors and power electronics. Having earned his doctorate, he was given the opportunity of a junior professorship at the TU Clausthal. As part of the professorship, Prof. Elwert deals with the recovery of non-ferrous metals (primary and secondary). In addition, he has been holding a guest professorship in China since 10/2016 focusing the topic of “Recycling of Electronic Vehicles”.
EMPRC 2018 – Basic information
September 30, 2017 Deadline for submission of abstracts
October 31, 2017 Acceptance of papers will be made public
November 30, 2017 Submit manuscript for peer review
February 28, 2018 Deadline for final manuscript
April 28, 2018 Deadline for presenters to register for the conference
