Just like London buses, you wait for one new brown fused alumina (BFA) plant to be built outside China for the western market, then three come along at once! (Almatis/ROMCO - Bautek - First Bauxite, see below). Then followed by the cold shower of the keynotes reminding us that we are amid the chaos of [...]
The industrial minerals recycling evolution is gathering momentum fast as more companies, organisations, and governments realise that this sector will be imperative not only for contributing to the Circular Economy and helping our environment, but in creating a vital alternative source of raw materials. Vulnerable supply chains, logistical bottlenecks, inconsistent availability, and overreliance on limited [...]
US Dept. of War invests $85m in Guyana bauxite, with US BFA plant to come You could be forgiven for almost missing it amongst the plethora of Executive Orders and Fact Sheets emanating from The White House in the last three years which have focused on boosting US government support for domestic supply chains of [...]
Fluorspar project development is receiving another boost this year with a raft of project updates and new players seeking to join the critical mineral bandwagon for fluorspar. Across the board trends include a preference for historical fluorspar mining districts, much interest from Australian mineral developers, especially in North America, and often fluorspar as a co- [...]
In a nutshell, world demand for salt is increasing, both for volume supply (especially in Asia) and for higher purity salt grades. This has placed a challenge for salt source developers and salt process innovators. Thus we are witnessing a range of potential new sources of salt being developed worldwide, while process technology suppliers continually [...]
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 [...]
