IDA Announces Strategic Partnership With SWCC For International Workshop On Innovations In Ocean Brine Mining For Rare Metals & Mining

The International Desalination Association is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with the Saline Water Conversion Cooperation (SWCC) for the International Workshop on Innovations in Ocean Brine Mining for Rare Metals and Minerals, taking place April 8-9, 2020, in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

Organized by the Desalination Technologies Research Institute of SWCC under the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment, Water, and Agriculture of KSA, the workshop aims to provide a forum for expert scientists, applied researchers, practitioners, and innovators to share their latest technologies and experience of mineral and metal extraction. The focus of presentations will be technologies and systems that are advanced to the point of proof-of-concept and beyond, with the potential to yield minerals and rare metals at a lower cost than that of earth mining and conventional methods of production.

This by-invitation-only event will provide a unique forum to experts and innovators in the field of ocean brine mining to share knowledge and experience on leading-edge technologies which convert cost-effectively brine into ocean mineral products and extract rare metals of strategic importance for advanced industries of the future such as lithium, cesium, rubidium, barium.

“Ocean brine mining opens a new era of exploration of the vast water resources of our planet. During the last two decades, advances in desalination technology and resource recovery science have made desalination plant concentrate an important and largely untapped source of minerals and rare metals. With this International Workshop, SWCC is taking the initiative to open a new path towards turning brine into a precious commercial asset and bringing zero liquid discharge one step closer to reality” said the Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation, H.E., Eng. Ali Al Hazmi.

“The question of Ocean Brine Mining continues to be key in developing a sustainable future, and the IDA applauds the Saline Water Conversion Corporation for taking a lead role on this important subject.” said IDA Secretary General, Ms. Shannon McCarthy.

The workshop’s Day 1 Program is entitled, “Technologies for Ocean Brine Concentration and Zero Liquid Discharge,” exploring themes such as State of the Art of Thermal Brine Concentration, Brine Concentration for Harvesting of Minerals, and The Future of Brine Concentration – Next Generation Technologies. Day 2, “Technologies for Ocean Brine Mining of Minerals and Metals,” will include a two-part keynote address, “State of the Art Mineral Mining – What Minerals at What Cost?” in addition to exploring themes such as “Market Survey for Ocean Brine Minerals,” “Advanced Technologies for Mining Rare Minerals,” and “Cast Studies for Mining of Rare Metals from Ocean Brine.”

All technologies presented at the workshop are eligible for three cash awards of 10,000 USD in the following categories: Award for Advanced Brine Concentration Technology, Award for Advanced Mineral Extraction Technology, and Award for Advanced Rare Metals Extraction Technology. In addition, two researchers will be awarded a 6-month DTRI Scholarship for the funding and pilot testing of their research at the DTRI center in Jubail.

All abstracts are due by December 31, 2019 and can be sent to Dr. Christopher Michael Fellows, Senior Expert with the DTRI, at CMichael@swcc.gov.sa. Shortlisted authors will be notified by January 15, with presentations and papers due on March 15. More information can be found here (https://idadesal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Brochure-Ocean.pdf).

About Saline Water Conversion Corporation
Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) is the largest desalinated water producer in the world. With 29 desalination plants, 14 transmission systems and over 4,000 km of pipelines in operation, SWCC delivers 5.6 million cubic meters of drinking water per day to more than 60% of the population in Saudi Arabia. SWWC is also the second largest electricity provider in the country. SWCC has workforce of 10,000+ employees, manages water assets of over US$25B and produces over 20% of the world’s desalinated water.

About IDA
The International Desalination Association s the point of connection for the global desalination and water reuse community. A non-profit association, IDA serves more than 2,600 core members in 60 countries and reaches an additional 4,000 affiliate members. Its membership comprises scientists, end-users, engineers, consultants and researchers from governments, corporations and academia. IDA is associated with the United Nations as part of a growing international network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). For more information, visit www.idadesal.org.

About IDA SWRF
IDA’s Sustainable Water Resources Foundation (SWRF) promotes creative solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. With a continuously growing population, innovative water strategies must rise to meet the increasing demand for clean water. SWRF promotes this innovation by advocating clean energy solutions, fostering collaboration among professionals, and supporting educational programs and projects concerning the nexus of water, energy, food, and the environment. For more information, visit www.idaswrf.org.