It seems like every day you read about critical raw materials in the news. Whether Trump wants to buy Greenland or wants Ukraine to sign away their rare earth metals in exchange for military assistance,  mostly the attention is on finding more raw materials. But what if there is another way? In this presentation we will explore how circular design could help with solving the problems posed by the criticality of many of the most in-demand metals.

Materials circularity and zero-emission metal production are closely tied together, as increased circularity is one way of reducing the emissions associated with metal production. Norway is a key supplier of metals and critical raw materials to the European Union. Its metal processing industry has been leading in the production of low-emission metals. The major challenge for the industry is the transition to zero-emission production. The FME center ‘Zero emission Metal production’ (ZeMe) has been created to support the industry in this transition by developing new knowledge and technologies in energy efficiency, fuel switching, carbon capture, circularity and resource efficiency.

Innovation manager Christina Meskers, a lifelong ambassador for circular metals, will share her insights.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing our ability to model and understand complex systems dynamics. In this talk, Kevin will discuss two examples of how AI enables breakthroughs in metals circularity modeling, from the atomic to the global scale. At the atomic level, AI allows us to model complex interfacial reactions, such as metal dissolution and recovery, with unprecedented accuracy. This capability provides a foundation to improve the efficiency of extraction processes and recovery methods. On a larger scale, Kevin will show how AI is transforming systems analysis by predicting how specific policies might influence the behaviour of agents, e.g., within metal value-chains. These advancements illustrate how AI is driving strategic decisions toward a more circular economy for metals.

Harmen has a strong background in metal and waste recycling startups, alongside consulting and training in the iron/steel industry. With over 20 years of experience in electric furnaces across various metals, he has worked on design, commissioning, and troubleshooting for FeNi, FeCr, Si, and Cu-slag cleaning.

In his talk, Harmen will discuss his perspective of industrial SMEs in the competitive environment. He will explore what it takes for smaller companies to find a place in the market, highlighting the need for clear insights into market processes and an understanding of industry developments. He will also address observations in policy, finance, and education and how these affect SMEs in contributing to a more circular economy for metals in the Netherlands.