ICSOBA 2016 Conference to be held in Quebec City, Canada on Oct 3-6

The International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium is organizing their 2016 edition of the international event in the period 3 - 6 October, 2016 in the Palace Royal hotel, Quebec, Canada. Since 1963 ICSOBA has organized 33 international events in different places of the world. The selection of Quebec, Canada for the 34th International Conference and Exhibition, follows ICSOBA’s practice of rotating the venue of International Meetings to countries that play an important role in the global aluminium industry. The Conference is supported by Rio Tinto and REGAL (Quebec Aluminium R&D centers associations).

Numerous abstracts from Quebec and international researchers have already reached the organizers. On Monday morning, 3 October, six keynote speakers will make presentations during the opening session. Among them are:

1. Claude Vanvoren (Vice President Technology, R&D – Rio Tinto)
2. Johan Maljaars (Professor at TNO, Eindhoven University of Technology)
3. Jean Simard (President - Aluminium Association of Canada)
4. Ron Knapp (Secretary General - International AIuminium Institute)
5. Rafael Vieira da Costa (Vice President, Technology - Hydro - Bauxite & Alumina)

In the afternoon, the REGAL’s Student Day (JER) programme will be held. The delegates will have a unique opportunity to hear presentations and discuss posters with young students working on topics related to our industry.

On October 4 and 5 technical and scientific presentations and discussions will take place on bauxite, alumina and aluminium production in Canada, as well as on new global developments. On October 6 visits of two Rio Tinto plants in Saguenay will take place.

As the aluminium industry is suffering from significant and lasting downturn it is about time for the industry to recognize a need for more and more collaborative activity to share development cost and put innovations to work. The ICSOBA is being aimed to play a role in this evolution by bringing together scientists, operations professionals and people from the management in a conference organized by the Aluminium Companies for the Aluminium Companies.