Sustainable use of resources
2nd Symposium on Raw Material Efficiency and Raw Material Innovations, Nuremberg/Germany (10.–11.02.2011)
Following a very successful kick-off event last year (Fig.), the Symposium on Raw Material Efficiency and Raw Material Innovations will be held for the second time from 10.-11.02.2011. Representatives from research and development, politics and society as well as from industrial applications will meet this year in Nuremberg to present and discuss, besides proven processes, technology trends as well as possibilities for materials extraction and economic prospects for innovative products and processes from a wide range of raw material sectors.
In addition to climate protection, assuring the continued supply of raw materials as well as the efficient utilization of existing resources are of pivotal importance for the Germany, a high-technology base that is, however, poor in raw materials. Lower availability and rising prices are demanding a rethink in the raw materials sector and make the processes necessary for processing raw materials a key economic factor. For almost all future technologies, rare metals must be imported. Consequently, lithium and lithium compounds are becoming strategic resources on the back of the high demand especially in electromobility. Other such strategic resources are the light metal titanium, which is used in aircraft construction and medical engineering. On the one hand, the availability of these raw materials can be improved based on intelligent utilization, for example, of lithium-bearing rocks and, for instance, the use of more efficient technologies for processing mineral sands as a starting material for titanium. On the other hand, the development of new recycling concepts, e.g. for lithium ion batteries or industrial waste in general, can contribute to the recovery of lithium for reuse in the production process.
Against this background, this year over 30 papers will present and discuss measures concerning resource efficiency as well as primary and secondary raw materials, industry- and material-related strategies and technologies and especially problems and solutions for resources and materials, the completion of material cycles and product responsibility, in addition to its related importance for climate protection. Insofar, the second event, which is to be held under the direction of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Teipel from the faculty of Process Engineering/Particle Technology at the Georg-Simon-Ohm University of Nuremberg, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, Pfinztal, will as a high-calibre communication and discussion platform for partners from a very wide range of raw materials fields also encourage and advance scientific and technical transfer on raw material efficiency and resource optimization.
All papers will be published in the symposium proceedings, which will be available at the symposium.