Light Metals 2017

Abstract

It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to the TMS 2017 Annual Meeting & Exhibition in San Diego and to present to you the proceedings of Light Metals 2017. First of all, I would like to honor all of you who have contributed to make this an excellent reference for the develop- ments within aluminium. All the efforts by you are extremely important for bringing better processes and better products to our society, making aluminium the preferred metal for growth and prosperity in a global perspective. In 2016, the Hall-Héroult process celebrated its 130-year anniversary, in a period with aluminum experiencing an exceptional growth, surpassing all other metals over a long period. Moreover, there is no reason to believe this will not continue in the years to come. The growth is adding extra pressure on the bauxite and alumina industry, especially on environmental issues related to mining and the red mud residue. In addition, more alumina refineries are located apart from the mines, making bauxite emerging as a bulk commodity in the trading market.