Extraction & Processing Division

The Extraction & Processing Division (EPD) is home to those TMS members whose work is related to the extraction and processing of minerals and metals from mined ores, concentrates, and recycled materials using pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and electrochemical processes, emphasizing the technical, engineering, environmental, and economic principles of such processes. This division also addresses further processing of nonferrous metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, precious metals, lead, zinc, and tin and their products by techniques such as refining, purification, alloying, solidification, thermomechanical treatment, and surface coating into finished and semifinished products.

The EPD provides a forum for interaction among professionals from all areas of the extraction and processing communities, including operators and managers from industry, academics, and consultants.

Meet the EPD Chair

Cindy Belt

Welcome Message

View Biography

Contact the Chair

Get Involved

You can contribute to the work of the TMS Extraction & Processing Division by joining a TMS technical committee. Begin by selecting the EPD committee that best aligns with your professional interests. TMS issues a Call for Volunteers each year in February, inviting members to join a TMS technical committee. You can respond to this call for volunteers and attend a technical committee meeting in person at the TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition. Please Note: TMS membership is required for committee membership.

As a technical committee member, you can become further involved in developing technical programming, publications content, and professional development events. You can also get involved by nominating a candidate for an EPD award, which recognizes excellence within the EPD's scope of activities. For a complete listing of ways to get involved with TMS, visit the Volunteer Opportunities section of the website.

In 2017, TMS also held a Materials Photography Contest to support Technical Division Scholarships. To see contest entries, view the album on Flickr.

Upcoming EPD-Related TMS Meetings

4th International Conference

August 27 – 30, 2017 • Vancouver, Canada

Nickel-Cobalt 2017 will bring together internationally recognized scientists, engineers and plant operators to discuss the most recent developments in the processing of nickel and cobalt. This symposium will deal with the hydrometallurgical processing of nickel and cobalt ores, concentrates and mattes, as well as the recovery of associated valuable by-products. Nickel-Cobalt 2017 is co-sponsored by TMS and the Metallurgy and Materials Society (MetSoc) of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).

Held within Extraction 2018

August 26 – 29, 2018 • Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The 2018 International Advances in Sulfide Smelting Symposium, held within Extraction 2018, will provide a forum for papers that relate to advancements in all aspects of sulfide smelting technology, including the basic principles, technology, and current operating practice. To enhance growth through shared competencies and technological cross-fertilization between related fields, the organizers are soliciting papers from authors who are engaged in the analysis, development, and/or operation of high temperature processes that involve the production of metals, metalloids, and alloys through sulfide smelting. Papers that describe innovative methods for achieving impurity separation and removal, by-product recovery, waste minimization, and/or energy efficiency are particularly welcome. Also of interest are papers that discuss the various technical, economic, and environmental issues.

Held within Extraction 2018

August 26 – 29, 2018 • Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Part of the Extraction 2018 global extractive metallurgy conference, Hydrometallurgy 2018 marks the 8th installment of the leading international symposium series that showcases both research and industrial perspectives on all aspects of hydrometallurgy extraction, purification and recovery of base, critical, rare and precious metals. Of interest are presentations that address any area of hydrometallurgy theory and practice including, but not limited to leaching, solvent extraction, ion exchange, electrorefining, electrowinning, process control, precipitation, environmental issues, energy efficiency, recovery from secondary sources, by-product recovery and modeling. This symposium only occurs every four years, so don’t miss your opportunity to make an impactful contribution to your field as a Hydrometallurgy 2018 presenter.

REWAS 2019
Held within TMS 2019 148th Annual Meeting & Exhibition

March 10 – 14, 2019 • San Antonio, Texas, USA

Copper 2019
Held within COM 2019 the 58th Annual Conference of Metallurgists

August 18 – 21, 2019 • Vancouver, BC, Canada

PbZn 2020
Held within TMS 2020 149th Annual Meeting & Exhibition

February 23 – 27, 2020 • San Diego, California, USA

Electrometallurgy 2020
Held within TMS 2020 149th Annual Meeting & Exhibition

February 23 – 27, 2020 • San Diego, California, USA

For More Information

Please visit the Volunteer Resources section of the site. If you cannot find the information you need, please contact the TMS Volunteerism Staff.