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Post by barrywills on Sept 15, 2006 15:56:32 GMT
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Post by barrywills on Sept 20, 2006 10:07:58 GMT
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Post by habashi on Sept 21, 2006 14:13:07 GMT
Conference Report IMPC 2006 The 23rd International Mineral Processing Congress was held in Istanbul, Turkey September 3-8, 2006. The Opening Ceremony, the oral and poster sessions, and the exhibition were held at the Convention Center while lunches and receptions were held at the Hilton Convention Center which was next door. Attendance was nearly 900 delegates. The Turkish delegates were naturally the majority of the participants, but China sent the largest foreign delegate, probably because they are planning to hold the 24th IMPC in Beijing in 2008. Istanbul is a beautiful city with many mosques, museums, palaces, bazaars, and modern shopping centers to visit. The colourful program was printed on high quality paper with full details. A minor error, however, attracted my attention: on page 52 it was stated that “Turkey is the only country in the world that stays on two continents – Asia and Europe”. This is evidently not true since Russia is also on two continents; what was meant probably is Istanbul and not Turkey. A three-volume 2644 pages proceeding was available together with a CD-ROM and a suitable briefcase. It was included in the registration fees. The Organizing Committee did not forget to make available a 49-page list of participants with their addresses and e-mails which is a very useful directory. The Plenary Speakers and the IMPC Council Member were treated with an exceptional generosity. They were received at the airport and conveniently delivered to Hilton Hotel. Every day there was a get-together dinner in addition to the official conference events. There was also additional Bosphorus cruise and a two-day trip to Cappadoccia, famous of its strange geological formations and early Christian churches and dwellings carved in the rocks. Since Professor Eric Forssberg from Lulea University of Technology in Sweden has stepped down as chairman of the IMPC council after serving for 21 years from 1988 to 200, he was honoured in a special dinner where he and his secretary Mrs. Siv Perhan received souvenir presents from the Turkish Mining Development Association as well as the Organizing Committee. Prof. Cyril O’Connor Dean of Engineering at Cape Town University in South Africa was elected IMPC President for 2006-2010. Financial support to the conference came from a large number of sources in Turkey. The support was generous and allowed fulfilling many goals that would not have been possible otherwise. These donating establishments were well recognized by souvenir presents at the Farewell Dinner. Also at the Farewell Dinner, Dr. Heinrich Schubert, Professor Emeritus at the Mining Academy in Freiberg in Germany received the IMPC Award for his achievements in mineral processing as an educator, researcher, and scientific leader. The Chinese delegates came with a well prepared colourful brochure to invite the participants for the 2008 IMPC. They also distributed about one thousand stuffed pandas as souvenirs for the delegates and to attract them for their congress. The Conference was characterized by three extravagant dinners: two were held at Ottoman Palaces and one at a club on the Asian side of Istanbul. In addition there was lively Bosphorus Cruise. All speakers and session chair-persons received a pretty crystal souvenir marked with the date of the event. There was a small problem in one of the dinners. There were not enough tables for the delegates. The tables available were assigned to the Organizing Committee and the Plenary Speakers. As a result many participants were taking their meals standing and this created some dissent. From my personal experience in Canadian conferences there is always a chair for every participant in a dinner but there are two or three tables reserved for the Organizing Committee, invited guests, etc. Participants are always free to choose on which table to sit. The Organizing Committee under its chairman Prof. Dr. Güven Önal of the Istanbul Technical University did an excellent job. Sincere congratulations. Look forward for IMPC Beijing, September 24-28, 2008. For more information look up: www.impc2008.orgFathi Habashi, Laval University Quebec City, Canada [img src="[/img] ![]() "] |
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