41st International Conference and Exhibition ICSOBA 2023

4

days

181

papers

550

participants

12

exhibitors

2

field trips

Overview

  • The 41st International Conference and Exhibition of ICSOBA (The International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium) was held from 6 to 9 November 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights in Dubai, UAE and online.
  • This year conference marked the ICSOBA 60th
  • The conference obtained support from Emirates Global Aluminium, the host sponsor and attracted 550 participants from 41 countries.
  • The program included 14 high-profile keynote speakers and over 167 technical papers, for a total of 181 contributions. The conference covered bauxite, alumina, bauxite residue, carbon for aluminium electrolysis, aluminium electrolysis, sustainability and casthouse operation in a variety of technical sessions. Sustainability and decarbonisation, energy usage, automation, and digitalisation were recurrent themes in all subjects.
  • To continuously innovate and contribute to a better practical knowledge-sharing within the industry, a brand-new Casthouse Operation subject was added this year to the ICSOBA conference, limited to smelter casthouse operations, from potrooms to casthouse activities.
  • A dedicated interactive workshop Alumina Properties for Aluminium Electrolysis was organized during the conference.
  • The selection of Dubai, UAE for the 41st International ICSOBA Conference and Exhibition, follows ICSOBA’s practice of rotating the venue of its International Meetings to countries that play an important role in the global aluminium industry. This was the second ICSOBA conference in UAE and the fifth in the Middle East in the history of ICSOBA.
  • This was the second time that the ICSOBA conference was organized for a hybrid audience, with the in-person part held in Dubai and the virtual part held online with real-time broadcast for the participants that could not attend in person. However, all ICSOBA presenters had to travel to Dubai to deliver their presentation in person.
  • For the first time in the history of ICSOBA, an Aluminium Electrolysis Short Course was organised with the aim of increasing participants’ comprehensive understanding of the electrolysis process and obtain an overview of the state-of- the-art of aluminium production. The course was held at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights in Dubai from 1 to 3 November 2023 and was attended by 120 participants from 14 countries.
  • The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) also took advantage of this gathering of technologists from around the world to hold its Bauxite & Alumina Committee meeting and a workshop on decarbonization in refining on 5 November 2023.
  • During the conference, an exhibition of latest technologies, equipment and other devices for the bauxite, alumina and aluminium industry took place with 12 participating companies.
  • The last day of the conference saw field trips to EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery and smelter.
  • As usual, all papers published in the TRAVAUX No. 52 book (Conference proceedings), as well as the pdf version of presentations, will be accessible to participants from the ICSOBA website at https://icsoba.org/proceedings/.
  • The conference proved once again that ICSOBA provides a unique platform to exchange information on the latest innovations and deeply contributes to knowledge dissemination in our industry.
  • We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed to the conference this year. In addition, we are deeply grateful to the partners and sponsors who have worked with us at all stages of this important industry event. With 45 Corporate Members and 17 Sponsors the organizers of ICSOBA 2023 are humbled by this realization.
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ICSOBA 2023 Program

The ICSOBA 2023 conference program included over 167 technical papers and 14 high-profile keynote speakers from leading global companies and institutions. The program was arranged in 4 streams with one full day for technical field trips.

  • Wednesday 1 November to Friday 3 November – 1st ICSOBA Electrolysis Short Course organized as part of pre-conference agenda.
  • Sunday 5 November pm – IAI BAC meeting, registration, welcome reception,
  • Monday 6 to Wednesday 8 November – keynotes and technical sessions,
  • Tuesday 7 November – Gala Dinner and ICSOBA 60 years celebration,
  • Wednesday 8 November – Alumina Properties for Aluminium Electrolysis interactive workshop,

Thursday 9 November - Field trips

Keynote Speakers:

Sergey Akhmetov

Sergey Akhmetov

Executive Vice President, Midstream,
Emirates Global aluminium (EGA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Short Bio
Sustainability at Emirates Global Aluminium
Abstract
Stephan Broek

Stephan Broek

President,
Kensington Technology, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Short Bio
The Application of Capture of Process CO2 in Primary Aluminium Smelting
Abstract
Markus Balz

Markus Balz

Chief Technology Officer,
GlassPoint, Inc., New York, USA
Short Bio
Solar Energy for the Aluminium Industry’s Transition into the Future
Abstract
Paul-Antoine Calandreau

Paul-Antoine Calandreau

Director Industry 4.0,
Emirates Global Aluminium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Short Bio
Digital Transformation: the EGA way
Abstract
Anthony Everiss

Anthony Everiss

Senior Analyst, Aluminium Raw Materials,
CRU, London, United Kingdom
Short Bio
CRU’s Bauxite and Alumina Market Outlook – Upstream Investments Remain Attractive
Abstract
Martin Iffert

Martin Iffert

Co-Founder & CEO, EP Energy Pool GmbH ,
Martin Iffert Consulting GmbH, Berlin, Germany
Short Bio
The Decarbonisation Journey of the Aluminium Industry – Opportunities and Challenges to Achieve Net-Zero
Abstract
Halvor Kvande

Halvor Kvande

Retired Professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU),
Retired from Hydro Aluminium, Oslo, Norway
Short Bio
Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Primary Aluminium Production - Is it Technically and Economically Possible by 2050?
Abstract
Stephen J. Lindsay

Stephen J. Lindsay

Retired senior technical specialist from Alcoa, Smelting specialist consultant with Hatch,
Hatch, Maryville, USA
Short Bio
Alumina Properties and Challenges Ahead
Abstract
Jerome Lucaes

Jerome Lucaes

CEO,
FAST FORWARD ZERO, Zurich, Switzerland
Short Bio
The Business-climate Emergency Kit for the Aluminium Industry
Abstract
Uday Patel

Uday Patel

Senior Research Manager, Global Aluminium Markets,
Wood Mackenzie, London, United Kingdom
Short Bio
Aluminium Outlook: The shape of things to come
Abstract
Miles Prosser

Miles Prosser

Secretary General,
International Aluminium Institute, London, UK
Short Bio
The Aluminium Industry’s Progress on Sustainability
Jörg Rüster

Jörg Rüster

Director - Technical, ATA Technical Upstream,
Emirates Global Aluminium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Short Bio
Smelter Grade Alumina Properties - The Alumina Refinery Challenge
Abstract
Sandy Sutherland

Sandy Sutherland

Senior Vice President Strategy, Energy & Sourcing,
Norsk Hydro, Cully, Vaud, Switzerland
Short Bio
Navigating the Energy Crisis: Alunorte's Journey towards Low-Carbon Alumina and its Impact on the Global Aluminium Industry
Abstract
Nitin Tiwari

Nitin Tiwari

Chief Operating Officer – Metal,
Vedanta Limited, Jharsuguda, Odisha, India
Short Bio
Future of Indian Aluminium Sector: Challenges and Progress
Abstract
Sergey Akhmetov

Sergey Akhmetov

Stephan Broek

Stephan Broek

Markus Balz

Markus Balz

Paul-Antoine Calandreau

Paul-Antoine Calandreau

Anthony Everiss

Anthony Everiss

Martin Iffert

Martin Iffert

Halvor Kvande

Halvor Kvande

Stephen J. Lindsay

Stephen J. Lindsay

Jerome Lucaes

Jerome Lucaes

Uday Patel

Uday Patel

Miles Prosser

Miles Prosser

Jörg Rüster

Jörg Rüster

Sandy Sutherland

Sandy Sutherland

Nitin Tiwari

Nitin Tiwari

Companies that have submitted technical papers for ICSOBA 2023

Technical Committee

With Bernard Allais and Michel Reverdy as Program Director, the ICSOBA 2023 Technical Committee was composed as follows:

 

Subject Subject organizer Reviewers
Keynote Michel Reverdy Bernard Allais, Michel Reverdy and Vinko Potocnik
Sustainability Bernard Allais and Michel Reverdy Anupam Agnihotri, Bernard Allais, Michel Reverdy, Simon Lobach and Vinko Potocnik
Bauxite & Alumina Andrey Panov Ajamu Duncan, Alan Clark, Alpha Barry, Andrey Panov, Carlos Suarez, Georgy Banvolgyi, Frank Feret, Efthymios Balomenos, Markus Graefe, Evandro Leao, Ken Evans, Linus Perander, Monique Delaney, Patrick James, Roberto Seno, Sebastien Fortin, Seyit Avcu, Sharif Jahanshahi and Wlademir Penna
Bauxite Residue Thymis Balomenos Ajamu Duncan, Alan Clark, Alpha Barry, Andrey Panov, Carlos Suarez, Georgy Banvolgyi, Frank Feret, Efthymios Balomenos, Markus Graefe, Evandro Leao, Ken Evans, Linus Perander, Monique Delaney, Patrick James, Roberto Seno, Sebastien Fortin, Seyit Avcu, Sharif Jahanshahi and Wlademir Penna
Aluminium Electrolysis Dagoberto Severo and Vinko Potocnik André-Felipe Schneider, B.K. Kakkar, Dagoberto Severo, Jeff Keniry, Hervé Roustan, Pierre Marcellin, Laurent Fiot, Stephan Broek, Suresh Dubey, Sylvain Fardeau, Vanderlei Gusberti, Vinko Potocnik, and Yasar Kocaefe
Electrodes Houshang Alamdari Asem Hussein, Donald Ziegler, Duygu Kocaefe, Julien Lauzon-Gauthier, Hans Darmstadt, Houshang Alamdari, Matthieu Arlettaz, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi, Simon Laliberte-Riverin, Vinko Potocnik and Yaseen Elkasabi
Casthouse Operation Abdulla Bin Kalban Abdulla Bin Kalban, Binuta Patra, Martijn Vos, Michel Reverdy and Pascal Gauthier

ICSOBA 2023 President

ICSOBA 2023 President

Sergey Akhmetov

Executive Vice President Midstream, Emirates Global Aluminium
Short Bio
Over last 60 years ICSOBA has developed into the most advanced technical forum for our global industry, with high quality technical papers and collaborative discussion between experts from around the world. I am honored to serve as President for 2023, when ICSOBA will take place in Dubai – one of the world’s leading cities, including in aluminium. 2023 is the Year of Sustainability in the United Arab Emirates. I welcome the global aluminium industry to Dubai to make new progress in how we all contribute to the development of a more sustainable society.
About ICSOBA presidents

IAI BAC Meeting

Bauxite & Alumina Committee meeting and Workshop on decarbonisation in refining and on use of bauxite residue was held by International Aluminium Institute (IAI) on 5 November before the ICSOBA 2023. This very important meeting united representatives of major players in Bauxite & Alumina globally.

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) is the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry. The IAI was established in 1972. Current IAI membership includes global bauxite, alumina and aluminium companies in all the major producing regions. Please visit the IAI site for more details https://international-aluminium.org/

2023 Conference Satisfaction Survey

As usual a satisfaction survey was carried out shortly after ICSOBA 2023 (this online survey started in 2016). ICSOBA 2023 achieved an all-time record number of 548 participants from all around the world including 509 onsite and 39 online. The 2023 survey was streamlined by removing questions which receive by and large the same responses over the years (only 29 questions versus 42 last year). The feedback obtained from the survey is highly valuable and can be summarized as follows:

  • A response rate confirms strong interest of ICSOBA participants to provide feedback. 168 answers were collected (on par with the all-time record of 170 answers in 2017) which ensures a good representativity of the results.
  • The conference attendance was again a perfect 50/50 split between Bauxite & Alumina stream and Carbon & Aluminium Electrolysis stream.
  • With 38 % response rate (the same ratio as last year), producers were again the most represented.
  • The global rating of the conference is very good (86%) and only 2.6% under average.
  • We noted with great satisfaction that the rating of the quality of technical papers increased again (88 % positive versus 80% last year) with some suggestion to further prioritise quality versus quantity. Keynotes rating significantly increased (86% positive) compared to previous years.
  • Networking was highly appreciated (88 % with only 1% under average) and several useful comments were given to improve this matter.
  • Very strong positive assessment of the hotel facilities (87% positive) and conference rooms (88% positive).
  • Social functions were also very well appreciated (79 % positive) with some good suggestion for improvement.
  • Whova platform was highly used mainly for agenda followed by participant’s list/search for and messages. Several suggestions for improvement were given, with the request for a more user-friendly global view of the conference program.
  • The forecast to attend next year’s conference is 80 %, again an all-time record! 96 % of respondents will recommend ICSOBA conference!

We also received very useful feedback on the suggested potential features. They received general support, however to variable extent: reproduce this year format (4 streams, 3 x 3 keynotes) – 84 % support; increase presentation time – 47 % pro and 41 % against; payment by credit card – 40 % pro but 55 % no opinion; move away from the all-inclusive events to avoid waste – 67% pro and 17% against.

ICSOBA management will now take on board all these comments and suggestions to define ICSOBA 2024 and beyond conference’s content and format.

This gives us great confidence for an improved format in the future. Your contribution is greatly appreciated, and we thank you for your participation in the survey.