“Squaring the circle” is a problem in geometry that was first proposed in Greek mathematics. The expression “squaring the circle” is also sometimes used as a metaphor for trying to do the “impossible”, and can also mean to bring together two things which are normally thought to be so different that they cannot exist together [...]
REFRACTORIES | RECYCLING | MAGNESIA | BARITE | OILFIELD | FLUORINE | CHINA | SALT As IMFORMED nears its ninth anniversary, Mike and Ismene would like to thank all our customers, sponsors, friends, and families for their unstinting support during 2023. We considered 2023 to be the first "normal" year post-pandemic as most delegates were able to [...]
Review of Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum 2023, Houston, 9-11 May And a new format announced for 2024! Industrial minerals remain essential ingredients to all oil and gas drilling operations. While the large volume workhorse minerals such as barite, bentonite, and silica sand are in constant demand, different drilling requirements and challenging environments demand performance [...]
Salt Forum 2023 takes place in Swakopmund A spectacular week concluded earlier in November discussing salt supply and demand amid networking with the world’s leading players at IMFORMED’s Salt Forum 2023, Swakopmund, 6-9 November. This was just our second Salt Forum following the inaugural event in Hamburg last year (see Salt market to grow as [...]
IMFORMED’s largest event to date for the global fluorine raw materials market last week saw 200 attendees network and listen to a packed programme of expert speakers at Fluorine Forum 2023, at the Pullman Cannes Mandelieu, 16-18 October. Topics included fluorspar market overview, shipping and logistics, China, Mongolia, potential new sources from Australia, Germany, Italy, [...]
Raw material producer and trader to the foundry and steel industry Metall-und Ferrolegierungsgesellschaft mbH Hafner, Blondin &Tidou (MFG), based in Meerbusch, Germany, has diversified into supplying chromite and refractory raw materials by launching a new subsidiary, MFG Materia GmbH based in its new location Lübeck, near Hamburg, Germany. Title Image Conveying Chromite: Bauba Resources’ Moeijelijk [...]
Big thanks to the UNITECR 2023 organisers for putting on a terrific show last week. It was fabulous to meet our customers, contacts, & make new friends from the refractories world. IMFORMED thanks all those who stopped by our stand, attended the recycling panel, and Mike O’Driscoll’s presentation “Squaring the Circle: Recycling Refractory Minerals – [...]
CALL FOR PAPERS | SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBIT OPPORTUNITIES XII European Congress of Refractory Raw Materials, Machinery & Installation Meliá Lebreros, Seville, 13-14 March 2024 Co-organised by ANFRE, Spain (National Association of Manufacturers of Refractories, Materials and Related Services) and IMFORMED, this will be a stimulating conference focusing on key aspects of the refractory raw [...]
Review of MagForum 2023, Baveno, Italy The shores of beautiful Lake Maggiore at Baveno hosted the largest and most successful MagForum to date. Some 230 international attendees from across the supply chain of the magnesia raw materials industry gathered in late May to network and learn of the latest market trends and developments. Certainly, there [...]
It is with great sadness that we report the recent passing of our great friend, mentor, and worldly industrial mineral geologist Dr Ian Wilson in mid-June 2023, just weeks away from his 80th birthday. Without a doubt, Ian was one of the legendary geologists and communicators of the industrial minerals world and made long-lasting friendships [...]
