Reviewing the evolution, drivers & status of industrial mineral recycling Foreword to Mining Engineering’s IM Annual Review July 2026 by Mike O’Driscoll* The future for the industrial minerals sector, and of mining in general, is being shaped by a New Order of geopolitical and environmental factors. Last year’s foreword focused on an example of the [...]
With rising recognition of fluorspar’s “criticality” in its derivatives’ use in lithium-ion batteries and semiconductors, not to mention mainstay applications in fluorochemicals, steel, aluminium, and ceramics, the mineral is receiving increasing attention (see presentations review below). In particular, there is much activity from new players attempting to develop new and alternative sources of fluorspar, assess [...]
Good vibrations were felt all around at last week’s MagForum 2026 held by IMFORMED at the Grand Dino Hotel, Baveno, on the wonderful Lake Maggiore, Italy, 18-20 May. Amid the beautiful backdrop of Italy’s finest lakes and mountains, some 165 attendees across the global magnesia supply chain and consuming market sectors gathered to network and [...]
Last month IMFORMED held its Mineral Recycling Forum 2026 in sunny Mandelieu-La Napoule during 15-17 April at the Pullman Cannes Mandelieu. As usual this annual event brought together leading international players and interested parties in the industrial mineral recycling sector to network and hear expert speakers present on a range of interesting and relevant topics [...]
Last week saw the great and the good of the ceramics and refractories world descend on the Bavarian capital of Munich for ceramitec 2026. Raw materials for ceramic and refractory manufacturing were well represented by leading international producers, processors and traders (for review of mineral types see "Ceramics score top market for minerals") and IMFORMED [...]
Thursday 12 March 2026 was the inaugural "International Day of Ceramics", a global initiative launched by the International Ceramic Federation and the Japan Fine Ceramics Association, and supported by The American Ceramic Society. And what better moment than to simply remind that the ceramics market is the largest consumer of different types of industrial minerals. [...]
Critical Mineral Status | Supply | New Sources | Decarbonisation | Refractories | Chemicals | Hydrometallurgy | Agrimarkets One of the most important suites of industrial minerals are those containing magnesia (magnesium oxide), derived from both natural and synthetic sources, which supply a wide range of markets including agriculture, chemicals, construction, water treatment, steelmaking, refractories, [...]
The refractories industry is facing some challenging headwinds, especially in Europe, but certain factors, plus bright spots expected from steel market performance in India, the Middle East and eventually the USA, should contribute to an overall positive outlook to 2040. According to leading refractories consultant Tom Vert, world refractory consumption is projected to increase by [...]
Industrial minerals recycling has never been more important in today’s and tomorrow’s markets. With consumer overreliance on limited mineral sources, vulnerable supply chains, and the prevailing climate of tariff implementation and ongoing threats of more such disruption, recycling industrial minerals provides a welcome and necessary alternative source option. Moreover it rightly reinforces manufacturing industries’ “green” [...]
RECYCLING | MAGNESIA | FLUORINE | SALT As IMFORMED enters its twelfth year of business (Already?!? What happened?!?), Mike and Maria would like to thank all our customers, sponsors, supporters, friends, and families for their unstinting support during 2025. The year was a particularly tough and uniquely unusual one, having begun it with heavy hearts [...]
