ICFA: International Committee on Ferro-Alloys

The International Committee on Ferro-Alloys (ICFA) has the main objective of promoting the holding of Infacon (International Ferro-Alloys Congress) every three years in appropriate locations around the world, and to ensure that the established high technical standards of the events are maintained. ICFA arranges the meetings of representatives from ferro-alloy producing and consuming countries during each Infacon to discuss the relevant technical content for Infacon and decide on the country that will host the subsequent congress. Prospective host countries are invited to make submissions in advance to ICFA.

Infacon (International Ferro-Alloys Congress) was founded in South Africa in 1974 by the SAIMM (Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy), Mintek (then the National Institute for Metallurgy), and the Ferro Alloys Producers' Association (FAPA) when the first Infacon was held in Johannesburg. The secretariat for ICFA is provided by Mintek. The founding members of ICFA were: ABRAFE (Brazil), FAPA (South Africa), IFPEO (Europe), JFA (Japan), and TFA (North America). The intention of Infacon is to stimulate technical interchange on all aspects of ferro-alloy production.


Rodney Jones CHAIRMAN
Rodney Jones
Mintek & SAIMM
Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: rtjones@global.co.za

Isabel Geldenhuys SECRETARY GENERAL
Isabel Geldenhuys
Mintek & SAIMM
Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: isabel@pyro.co.za

Nic Barcza IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN
Nic Barcza
Consultant to Mintek
Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: NicB@mintek.co.za


Members of ICFA

Brazil
          ABRAFE:
          Leandro Gustavo Mendes de Jesus

China
          CSM - Chinese Society for Metals:
          CFIA - China Ferroalloy Industry Association:
          Haijuan Wang (University of Science and Technology, Beijing)

European Union
          EuroAlliages: Nadia Vinck

India
          IFAPA:

Japan
          JFA - Japan Ferroalloy Association:
          Akira Sasakawa, Shingo Katayama (Nippon Denko)

Kazakhstan
          Chemical Metallurgical Institute:
          Zhanibek Nurmukhanbetov (Kazchrome)

North America (Canada and USA)
          AIST / CIM / SME / TMS: Brian Bliss (AIST)

Norway
          FFF - Norwegian Ferro Alloys Association: Erlend Olsen (Finnfjord)
          Aud Warnes (Sintef)

Russia
          Russian Academy of Sciences:
          Igor Shepetovsky (Kosaya Gora Iron Works)

South Africa
          FAPA - Ferro Alloys Producers' Association: Henk Bouwer

South Korea
          Hanyang University: Prof. Joohyun Park

Turkey
          ETI: Yavuzhan Kaya

Ukraine
          Ukrainian Ferroalloys Association: Sergii Kudryavtsev


Criteria for hosting Infacon

ICFA arranges a meeting of representatives from ferro-alloy producing and consuming countries or regions during each Infacon. The primary purpose is to discuss and decide on the country or region that will host the subsequent Infacon congress. Additional objectives are to discuss the relevant technical content for and consider the frequency of holding future Infacon events, as well as to review the experience from the current Infacon congress.

Prospective host countries are invited to make submissions to ICFA, three weeks in advance of the meeting, of their intention to propose the hosting of the next Infacon congress. This will ensure that provision is made in the agenda for the proposals to be presented briefly (in about five minutes) at the ICFA meeting. A brief summary of the submissions should preferably be sent to ICFA at least one week prior to the meeting, for circulation to ICFA members if the host region wishes to do so.

Criteria for selection include the appropriate professional standing of the organising entity, the suitability of the location with regard to accessibility and facilities, and the necessary level of local and regional support from major stakeholders, such as industry, government, and relevant technical institutions. A track record of hosting similar events will be a distinct advantage, as will the ability to obtain underwriting of the financial commitments.

The rotation of geographic location from ferro-alloy producing regions in the northern and southern hemispheres, as well as eastern and western continents, needs to be given consideration in addition to the above criteria.

Designated ICFA representatives who attend the meeting are permitted to vote for only one host region after the presentations have been reviewed.


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Copyright © 2013-2021, Rodney Jones, rtjones@global.co.za, Johannesburg, South Africa (Last updated on 28 September 2021)