IMnI's 30th Annual Conference in Tokyo
New Outlooks, New Challenges
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For the Program
<click here>
The International Manganese Institute's Annual Conference, held
in Tokyo, Japan, June 1 - 3, marked IMnI's 30th Anniversary. IMnI's
nine Japanese members along with the Japan Ferroalloy Association
hosted it.
This edition clearly demonstrated that the Manganese Industry is
maturing as it tackled complex issues surrounding workers health
and the environment, while also trying to map out new developments
that would favorably impact growth. The two-day conference program,
which attracted over 120 delegates, highlighted two themes: "New
Uses for Manganese" and "Occupational Health, Safety &
Environmental Issues".
In his welcome speech, Japan Ferroalloy Association Chairman and
IMnI Vice-Chairman Keigo Takahashi said: "It is just thirty
years since the IMnI was established - a significant milestone for
us. We would like to try our best to develop further as an association
which can cope with and contribute to the needs of the world."
Haruhiko Kuroda, who is Special Advisor to the Prime Minister's
Cabinet and Former Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs,
presented an in-depth analysis of the global economy, with an emphasis
on China. He forecasted: "China has the ability to maintain
sustainable growth at 7 - 8% over the next decade." He added
that China's actual 10% growth rate attained in an overheated economy
was not good for sustainable growth but he was counting on the Chinese
Government to take appropriate cooling measures to ensure a soft
landing.
Yasuo Watanabe of Japan's Technical Information Service, was generally
optimistic as he forecasted how the world steel industry would evolve
over the next six years. According to him, by 2010 world apparent
steel consumption would reach 1.245 million MT, with China representing
413 million MT, or a third of world production. This was based on
the assumption that Chinese steel production growth would fall back
to 5% per annum after 2005, compared to the more than 20% per annum
recorded between 2001 and 2003.
In the session devoted to New Uses for Manganese, Arcelor's Michel
Babbit introduced the new automobile steels his company is currently
developing that will require significantly higher levels of manganese.
Arcelor projects that by 2009, 10 - 15% of the flat carbon steel
production (that means 5 to 8 million MT of the 50 to 60 million
MT consumed today) will shift to new multi-phase steels, with an
average increase in Mn content of 1%.
Introducing the second half of the program, Catherine Tissot-Colle,
IMnI's OHES Chairman and Eramet's VP for Environment & Industrial
Risks, said the industry needed to produce sound scientific studies
to defend its products, as governments all over the world were adopting
increasingly stringent regulations.
The Manganese Health Research Program (MHRP), outlined by Christian
Plazanet, who sits on the MHRP Steering Committee, is IMnI's answer
to producing some of the research required to meet these new regulatory
standards. This ambitious program ($1.4 million today and up to
possibly $6 million next year), subsidized by the US Department
of Defense but industry driven, is underwriting a number of critical
studies to better understand the effects of Mn on human health.
Other papers of interest in the OHES module included "A Life
Cycle Assessment Case Study in South Africa" by Jannie Cronje
from Samancor, "Health and Environment: an Outward Looking
Program for MMT" by Dr. Jerry Roper of Ethyl Corp, "Japanese
Environmental Protection Regulations and Related Measures Taken
by Nippon Denko" by Takayuki Nishi from Nippon Denko.
Market summaries for Mn Ore, Mn Alloys, EMD and EMM were also presented.
Xie Xinmin, Chairman of the Chinese Ferroalloy Industry Association
and President of Emei, gave an industry overview for China, spotlighting
domestic demand for ore and alloys.
All presentations made at the Conference (using Power Point or
Word format) are available on the Speeches page of the IMnI website.
To access: <Click Here>
The conference ended with a technical tour to Nippon Steel's Kimitsu
Works.
Next year's Annual Conference will be held at St. Andrews Bay Golf
Resort, in St Andrews, Scotland, June 1st - 3rd. Technical tours
to IMnI members' plants in Norway will be arranged around the conference.
IMnI General Assembly Elects New Chairman,
Executive Committee and Board Welcome New Members,
New Chairman for the Statistics Committee and EPD Division
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At the International Manganese Institute's General Assembly
held in Tokyo on Wednesday June 2nd, and on the advice of the Board,
members unanimously elected John Raubenheimer, CEO of Samancor
Manganese, as Chairman. He replaces Vincent Trelut,
who is moving to Tokyo as Deputy Managing Director of Eramet International
and Eramet's representative in Japan.
Ricardo Antunes, Senior Managing Director of Rio Doce International
(CVRD) was elected Vice-Chairman on the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is now made up as follows:
John Raubenheimer (Samancor)
Keigo Takahashi (Nippon Denko)
Ricardo Antunes (CVRD)
Anne Tremblay (IMnI)
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Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Secretary General
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New Board members are Arnaud Tissidre, Vice President Commercial,
Ore & Alloys, Eramet-Comilog and Xie Xinmin, President of Emei
Chuantou Ferroalloys Group.
Board membership is now:
John Raubenheimer (Samancor)
Leif Andreassen (Tinfos)
Ricardo Antunes (Rio Doce Int. - CVRD)
Michael Kiernan (Consolidated Minerals)
John Lewis (Ore & Metal)
Javier de Penaranda (Ferroatlantica)
Keith Saffy (Manganese Metal Co.)
Keigo Takahashi (Nippon Denko)
Arnaud Tissidre (Eramet -Comilog)
Xie Xinmin (Emei Chuantou Ferroalloys Group)
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Chairman
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
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In addition:
Dalena Norden (BHP Billiton) was elected Chairperson of
the Statistics Committee replacing Juan Bosco Alavarez
(Minera Autlan).
Keith Saffy (Manganese Metal Company - MMC) was elected
Electrolytic Products Division (EPD) Chairman, replacing
Masatoshi Yoshida (Tosoh) whose term had expired. The new
Vice-Chairman is Ryuichiro Yokotsuka from Mitsui Mining &
Smelting Co.
The other Committee Chairmen are:
Catherine Tissot-Colle (Eramet), who was elected Chairperson
of the Occupational Health, Environment and Safety (OHES)
Committee last fall.
Greg Forbes (former BHP Billiton and now IMnI), Marketing
& Communications Committee Chairman.
And Charles Rezende (CVRD) stays on as Treasurer.
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