About IRTC

IRTC, the “International Round Table on Materials Criticality” is a project established in 2018 and funded by EIT RawMaterials. IRTC consists of leading international experts in material criticality discussing different perspectives and requirements of criticality assessments, impacts of criticality, and ways to mitigate it. The project bridges academic expertise, industry practice, and policy-making, and engages with stakeholders around the world.

About the IRTC24 Conference

After a very successful first IRTC conference in Lille in February 2023, we are happy that our host for 2024 will be Politecnico di Torino. The 2024 IRTC conference focuses on new approaches to criticality to face the challenges of a changing geopolitical configuration and the threat of the climate crisis – looking at emerging policies, new ideas for criticality mitigation, and novel forms of collaboration between sectors and countries to foster supply security and sustainability. IRTC24 will focus again strongly on dialogue and interaction and on connecting different stakeholder groups.

Conference structure

Keynote Conversations

In a series of keynote conversations, international criticality experts will share their perspectives on critical raw materials for a sustainable future in moderated in-depth discussions.

Talks by Practitioners and Researchers

Practitioners and researchers in the field of critical raw materials are invited to contribute to the shape and content of the conference by sharing their work or case on critical raw materials in relation to thematic sessions as presented in the program below. The sessions will be chaired by multidisciplinary teams of experts to facilitate a discussion with the presenters.

The Special Issue Editorial Team, supported by the Session Chairs will select the most novel contributions for publication in a special issue of the journal Mineral Economics.

Are you as a practitioner or researcher in the field, interested in sharing your work on critical raw materials? Please submit an abstract proposal for a 15-minute presentation or a poster for the main hall exhibition! The abstract submission closes on October 24, 2023.

Participants

Participants are invited to join the two-and-a-half-day conference to meet colleagues, keynote speakers, and conference chairs, to engage in discussions in the sessions, and to join the networking activities. On-site participation will be limited to around 180 people to encourage meaningful discussions and networking. Online participation in the sessions will be possible.

The early bird registration will open on 15 October! If early bird tickets are sold out and/or after 20 December, the regular fee applies.

Timeline

September 11, 2023: Opening of the abstract submission system

October 15, 2023: Opening of early-bird registration

October 24, 2023: Abstract submission deadline

December 1, 2023: Information on abstract evaluation results

December 15, 2023: Registration deadline for presenters of oral presentations and posters

December 20, 2023: Last day early-bird registration

December 21, 2023: Start regular registration