Representing the global tantalum & niobium industries

About the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (T.I.C.) 

• An international, non-profit association founded in 1974 under Belgian law.
• Around 90 members from over 30 countries involved with all aspects of the tantalum and niobium industry supply chain (mining, trading, processing, metal fabrication, capacitor manufacturing, recycling, other end-users such as medical, aerospace...)
• Managed by an Executive Committee representing all segments of the industry.

OBJECTIVES

• Increase awareness and promote the remarkable properties of tantalum and niobium.
• Organize a general assembly of the membership in September or October each year for business and technical presentations. The location is chosen so that a tour of a member company or industry associated facility in the area may be included in the programme. Guests may attend.
• Organize a longer symposium in September or October about every five years for business and technical presentations, sometimes with a tour of a member company or industry associated facility in the area.
• Publish a semi-annual Bulletin, in electronic and printed format.
• Collect from the members (via an independent company to ensure confidentiality), statistics on raw material production, processors' receipts and product shipments, and capacitor producers' receipts for tantalum, while for niobium raw material production and processors' product shipments are collected. Report consolidated data to the membership on a quarterly basis.
• Address major issues and challenges facing its industry such as conflict minerals' legislation, artisanal and small-scale mining, transport of radioactive materials...

Membership

• Corporate membership - available to companies directly involved with the tantalum and/or niobium industry.
• Associate membership - available to researchers, academics, authors, and governmental bodies.

Further details on applying for membership can be found here.