The Tantalum-Niobium International Study Centre (TIC) will host its fifty-eighth general assembly and seventh technical symposium from October 15 to 18 in Vancouver, Canada.

The special early bird booking rate for members and applicants closes on August 18, with the final booking deadline being October 6.

TIC director Roland Chavasse tells Mining Weekly that about 250 delegates worldwide are expected to attend this event, which is held yearly. He says the conference will be of interest to everyone who is involved or interested in the global tantalum and/or niobium supply chains, new applications and market developments.

Chavasse notes that this year’s event will take the form of a technical symposium with extended presentations. Technical presentations will be given on the mornings of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the conference and there will be simultaneous translation from English to Chinese during the presentations.

Confirmed speakers to date include, but are not limited to, nonprofit coalition Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition conflict-free sourcing initiative audit programme manager Hillary Amster, lithium and tantalum developer Pilbara Minerals CEO Ken Brinsden, niobium developer NioBay Metals CEO Claude Dufresne, electronic components supplier Kemet Electronics Corporation advanced research director Dr Yuri Freeman, TIC technical officer David Knudson, Spanish mine developer Strategic Minerals Spain CEO Francisco García Polonio, US Geological Survey National Minerals Information Centre materials flow section chief Nedal Nassar and European Union Commission trade strategy director Signe Ratso.

Chavasse points out that a number of pertinent topics will be discussed during the conference, such as the state of the industry, the latest in project developments, how new global regulations could impact on the sector and the future of the sector.