The Rare Earths Market: Thriving, but Threatened by Illegal Mining and Production in China

Professor Dudley J. Kingsnorth (pictured) to kick off the 5th Annual Cleantech & Technology Metals Summit on May 10-11th in Toronto, Canada. — Photo courtesy Investorintel

TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2016 /CNW/ - InvestorIntel, the leading online source of independent investor information, is pleased to announce Professor Dudley Kingsnorth as the keynote speaker for the 5th Annual Cleantech & Technology Metals Summit to be held on Tuesday, May 10th and Wednesday, May 11th at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Canada. Professor Kingsnorth of Curtin University, Graduate School of Business and Founder of The Industrial Minerals Company of Australia (IMCOA) is a respected expert on the rare earth and lithium markets. InvestorIntel is thrilled he will kick off the Cleantech & Technology Metals Summit with a presentation titled The Rare Earths Market: Thriving, but Threatened by Illegal Mining and Production in China.

Professor Kingsnorth comments: "China in itself is not a threat to diverse, secure, and environmentally sound global rare earths supply chains. However, the illegal mining of rare earths in China is a major threat. If left unchecked, the unregulated mining/production and the black market sale of illegal rare earths from China will continue to devastate the environment, weaken the ability of non-Chinese producers to prosper, and make it harder for tens of thousands of manufacturers around the world to access secure supplies of these indispensable elements."

Tracy Weslosky, Founder of InvestorIntel and the Technology Metals Summit series notes that, "This will be our 5th Annual Technology Metals Summit and we have integrated Cleantech into the name out of respect for the demand on advanced materials that the rising cleantech revolution brings. Professor Dudley Kingsnorth's keynote presentation will not only address the impact of Chinese control on the global advanced materials market supply on sustainability but how it impacts the viability of the cleantech industry. With a primary focus on illegal production in China, he will also identify the magnitude of the threat and the measures that the rest of the world should adopt to eliminate the threat. Frankly, with the experts and industry leaders we have in attendance, we expect the Cleantech & Technology Metals Summit to be a historical event."

Over the past 50 years the demand for rare earths has grown thirtyfold; a unique record in the modern age where new technologies can create and destroy the demand for particular metals in an instant. Professor Kingsnorth's presentation will trace the recent history of the rare earths market within the broader context of forecast demand and supply through to 2025.

InvestorIntel has confirmed world-renowned experts, speakers and panelists that include but are not limited to: technology metals expert, Jack Lifton; lithium-ion battery expert, John Petersen; and water treatment expert Frédéric Dugré of H2O Innovations Inc. Other confirmed speakers include: Adrian Griffin, Lithium Australia; Sankar DasGupta, Electrovaya Inc.; Troy Grant, Elcora Advanced Materials; Mark Smith, NioCorp Developments Ltd.; Chris Reed, Neometals; Darren Townsend, Peak Resources; Guy Bourassa, Nemaska Resources; and Jim McKenzie of Ucore Rare Metals.

Delegate Passes: The Cleantech & Technology Metals Summit 2016 is being held on Tuesday, May 10th through Wednesday, May 11th from 8AM – 6PM. Located at the Omni King Edward Hotel on 37 King St. East in Toronto, Ontario – Canada. For more information go to InvestorIntelSummit.com. Or to register as a delegate (includes breakfast/lunch), click here: http://ctms2016.eventbrite.com