Short Courses 2023
We invite you to join us at COM 2023 Short Courses. Courses are presented prior to the Conference at the host hotel.
These courses are set to complement the content offered at COM 2023- 62nd Annual Conference of Metallurgists. It is not mandatory to register for the conference to purchase a registration for any of the Short Courses. Contact us at metsoc@cim.org if you are interested in registering for one of the short courses only.
Course #2 NEW SPOTS ADDED!
Pressure Hydrometallurgy – Theory, Design and Safety in Operation
Course #3
Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Engineering Materials
CANCELLED
Furnace Refractory Design and Management
One-day course | 6 hours
Monday, August 21 ($500 Professional/$250 Student)

A journey through refractory design development – how to evaluate the best techno-economical solution for my process?
Scope: Refractories are ceramic products designed for the application in high temperature processes up to 1800°C. In our daily life’s it is considered to be just “a brick” or “a mix” for most of us but a refractory solution for a furnace consists of a complex interaction of mechanical, chemical and thermal factors and their trade-off in terms of the expected service life for a furnace. This short course provides a unique opportunity to deepen the knowledge into the refractory world. Participants are enabled to assess refractories and lining concepts with respect to their suitability for pyrometallurgical processes in the non-ferrous industry. They also become familiar with common wear mechanisms, possible failure types and strategies to mitigate them during the design process.
Furnace Refractory Management Based on Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Continuous Monitoring
Scope: As furnace lining concepts and designs have improved over the last century, the smelter management and maintenance approach has also changed significantly within this period. One of the fundamental approaches that have changed is the view of the furnace lining. In traditional thinking, the lining was viewed as a consumable with unpredictable service life, but a new and modern idea is to see the furnace lining as equipment that should be maintained. Simply burning through the lining and hoping for the best is no longer acceptable or economically and environmentally viable. To manage and understand the condition of the lining we need data; reliable data that continuously provides knowledge about the thickness and structural integrity of the lining. Throughout the campaign life of a furnace, successful refractory maintenance procedures will ultimately reduce relining costs, furnace downtime, waste disposal volume, and carbon footprint of the smelter.
Participants will learn about various techniques to inspect and monitor metallurgical process vessels, such as electric furnaces, flash furnaces, reactors, and blast furnaces. In addition, they learn about case studies, data comparisons between NDT and physical measurments, detection of chemical attacks within the lining during furnace operation, extension of furnace campaign life, and unique cases.
Time |
Lecture |
Presenter |
7:30 |
Pre-course coffee |
|
08:00-08:10 |
Opening comments (welcome, safety – emergency exit, muster points, etc, housekeeping, introduce first presenter) |
|
08:10 – 08:30 |
Raw materials for production of refractories |
Dr. Dean Gregurek |
08:30 – 09:00 |
Shaped refractory products |
Dr. Dean Gregurek |
9:00-10:00 |
Refractories and lining concepts for primary & secondary NF vessels and furnaces |
Dr. Dean Gregurek |
10:00-10:15 |
Coffee Break |
|
10:15 – 11:15 |
Typical refractory wear in NF vessels and furnaces (selected case studies) |
Dr. Dean Gregurek |
11:15-12:00 |
Selected refractory testing methods |
Dr. Dean Gregurek |
12:00 – 13:00 |
Lunch |
|
13:00 – 15:00 |
Furnace Refractory Management Based on Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Continuous Monitoring |
Dr. Afshin Sadri |
Dean Gregurek, RHI Magnesita GmbH

Afshin Sadri, Senior Consultant, Hatch

Pressure Hydrometallurgy – Theory, Design and Safety in Operation
One-day course | 6-8 hours
Monday, August 21 ($500 Professional/$250 Student)
The short course will cover the thermodynamic and kinetic theory of pressure hydrometallurgy, pressure hydrometallurgical flow sheets for the extraction of base and precious metals, materials of construction and corrosion, refractory linings and golden rules of pressure vessel operational safety.
Audience
The intended audience is students and professionals new to pressure hydrometallurgy who would like to gain a base understanding of the theory, design and practical operating considerations of pressure hydrometallurgy circuits. This is an introductory-level course.

Time | Lecture | Presenter |
7:30 | Pre-course coffee | |
08:00 | Opening comments (welcome, safety – emergency exit, muster points, etc, housekeeping, introduce first presenter) | |
08:10 – 09:10 | Pressure Hydrometallurgy Fundamentals | Dr. Edouard Asselin |
09:20 – 10:20 | The Commercial Practice of Autoclaving for Copper, Nickel, Zinc and Gold Ores | Dr. David Dreisinger |
10:20 – 10:40 | Coffee Break | |
10:40 – 11:40 | Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits | Murray Pearson and Dr. Masoumeh (Masi) Naghizadeh |
11:40 – 12:50 | Lunch | |
12:50 – 13:50 | Refractory Lining System Applications in Pressure Hydrometallurgy | Mr. Jeremy Heestand |
14:00 – 15:00 | 10 Golden Rules of Pressure Autoclave Operation and “What Good Looks Like” | Mr. John O’Callaghan |
Pressure Hydrometallurgy Fundamentals
Dr. Edouard Asselin
UBC Materials Engineering

The Commercial Practice of Autoclaving for Copper, Nickel, Zinc and Gold Ores
Dr. David Dreisinger
UBC Materials Engineering

Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits
Mr. Murray S. Pearson, P.Eng.
Director, High Pressure Metallurgy, Hatch

Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits
Dr. Masoumeh (Masi) Naghizadeh
Lead Materials Specialist, Hatch Ltd.

Refractory Lining System Applications in Pressure Hydrometallurgy
Jeremy Heestand
Knight Material Technologies

Golden Rules of Pressure Autoclave Operation and “What Good Looks Like”
Mr. John O’Callaghan, Head of Directional Studies–Metallurgy, Newcrest Mining Limited
