klo 10:30 – 11:00

European Resources Limited is an Australian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of critical minerals, including rare earths, cobalt, copper, silver, and gold.
The company operates in Finland through its wholly owned subsidiary, Bambra Oy, focusing on advancing key rare earth element (REE) projects such as Korsnäs and Jokikangas in Otanmäki.
The Korsnäs Project recently marked a major milestone with the announcement of an initial JORC 2012-compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 15.4 million tonnes at 1.00% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO). With its strategic location in Finland, the project aligns with the European Union’s goal of securing a stable supply of critical raw materials, positioning Korsnäs as a potential key contributor to Europe’s growing demand for sustainable and locally sourced rare earths.

Pekka Pesonen, MBA, Lic.Tech. Experienced business executive with over 30 years’ leadership experience in finance, executive management, and board level positions.

klo 11:00 – 11:30

Critical minerals have become a cornerstone of geopolitics. They underpin technological leadership, economic competitiveness, the green and digital transitions, and defense capabilities. As global demand for primary raw materials continues to grow, circular economy solutions can contribute to economic security and resource resilience. As one of the few countries active across the entire value chain, Finland is uniquely positioned to support resilient and sustainable critical mineral value chains, from sustainable mining and processing to battery materials, cutting-edge technologies, and circular economy innovations.

Mr. Jarno Syrjälä has been serving as the Under-Secretary of State for International Trade since 1 September 2023 at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Mr. Syrjälä (born 1964) joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1990. Since then, he has served in various functions at Finland’s bilateral missions in Jakarta, Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Washington and Berlin. His most recent post in the Foreign Service was Ambassador in Beijing from 2017 to 2021. During that period, he also was accredited to Mongolia. Before that, he worked as Director General of the Department for Africa and the Middle East from 2013 to 2017. He also served as Ambassador in Riyadh from 2010 to 2013, also accredited to Kuwait, Oman and Yemen. Since September 2023, Syrjälä is the Representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the Business Finland Board of Directors. Syrjälä holds the degree of Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Vaasa.

klo 12:00 – 12:30

The trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur has been provisionally applied since May 2026. The new agreement is a major milestone in strengthening relations between the two regions. Mercosur countries are major players in global mining, minerals, and metal markets. What is the current status of the Agreement with the EU and what new opportunities will it create.

Kent Wilska has more than 30 years of experience of Latin American economic development. He was worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since 2005 in different positions dealing with trade policy, including EU – Mercosur trade negotiations. His current responsibilities cover issues related to critical resources.

klo 12:30 – 13:00

Hanna Seppälä works in the recycling and battery sector, with a particular interest in material flows, emerging technologies and the recovery of critical raw materials.

Having grown up in the recycling industry, she has a practical perspective ranging from small electronics and batteries to vehicles and wind turbines. What drives her is the challenge of finding opportunities where others see obstacles – and understanding how recycling fits into the wider industrial and global shifts shaping the future of raw materials.

klo 13:00 – 13:30

The biggest delays to mining projects are not caused by activism, but by permit applications that fail to meet environmental and water protection requirements. Activists are part of the real operating environment for mining projects, and the risks they identify should be recognised already at the project planning and investment stage.

Miisa Mink is an award-winning activist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Activist Agency, an impact consultancy, and the founder and chair of the citizens’ movement Saimaa ilman kaivoksia (Lake Saimaa Without Mines). Through her work on sustainability, she has become one of Finland’s leading critical voices on mining, challenging one-sided narratives around the green transition by highlighting its environmental trade-offs, including the impacts of mining on fresh water and biodiversity.

13:30 – 14:00

The Hautalampi Ni-Co-Cu project in Outokumpu, Finland, is being developed within one of Europe’s most established mining districts. The presentation provides an update on the project and discusses its status key advantages, modern mine planning, environmental permitting and responsible development, as well as its potential contribution to strengthening Europe’s domestic supply of critical battery minerals.

Ilari Kinnunen is the Managing Director of FinnCobalt Oy, responsible for the development of the Hautalampi Ni-Co-Cu project in Outokumpu, Finland. He has extensive experience in mining, geology and mineral exploration and has held senior management positions in the Finnish mining and minerals industry. His work at FinnCobalt focuses on advancing Hautalampi through permitting and technical development towards project implementation.

14:00 – 14:30

What does it take to grow a company from startup to stock exchange? Drawing on two decades of Nordic listing experience and 15+ years close to the mining and exploration industry, Erja Retzén shares practical insights, real-world experience and a sharp view of the capital-market journey.

Erja Retzén is a seasoned capital-markets professional and chair of the board at Bambra Oy, with over 20 years of experience in the Nordic capital markets. For more than 15 years, she has also maintained a strong connection to and an in-depth understanding of the mining and exploration industry, giving her a unique perspective on the sector’s development, financing landscape and capital-market opportunities. She is a sought-after speaker on growth, financing, IPOs and the Nordic equity markets.

14:30 – 15:00

Circular economy in mining is about complete material systems where metals, minerals, water and residues can all have value. The presentation will show how circular mining can reduce waste, recover critical raw materials, and create new business opportunities from side streams. VTT’s research provides examples of this transition, including tailings reprocessing, closing water loops, and the upcycling of mineral residues.

Päivi Kinnunen is a Research Professor at VTT. Her research focuses on industrial circular economy, the valorisation of side streams from the mining industry, process development, and closing water loops. She holds a Doctor of Science in Technology and a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration.

15:00 – 15:30

Determine the metal content is the most important factor in commercial transactions in various metal, mining and recycling industries. The decisions that are made based on the cheap sampling terrifies professionals every day. There are few easy practical approaches to how to increase your knowledge, and you can start sampling instead of gambling.

Tomi has more than 20 years of experience in the world of sampling and value determination processes in metallurgy refining and recycling business.

klo 10:30 – 10:45

Declining ore grades, deeper operations and tighter regulation squeeze mining productivity. Digital tools help only on a network covering the whole of mine. This session shows what private 5G networks and IoT deliver in practice: safety communications, predictive maintenance and autonomous operations and how to start with a pilot before staged expansion.

Riku Helander is the CEO of Digita, a Finnish digital infrastructure company providing connectivity, data center, broadcasting, and mission-critical services. With executive experience from both the telecommunications and mining sectors, he brings valuable insight into how resilient digital infrastructure, connectivity, and data-driven technologies can support modern industrial operations and sustainable growth.

klo 10:45 – 11:00

Johnny Lyly is Business leader in the mining industry with extensive experience in underground mining, automation, electrification, and digital transformation. As Business Line Manager for Epiroc’s Underground Division in Northern Europe, I work closely with customers and industry partners to improve productivity, safety, and sustainability in modern mining operations.

klo 11:00 – 11:15

Globaalit saatavuushaasteet, toimitusketjujen häiriöt ja raaka-aineiden hintavaihtelut ja hiilijalanjälki tavoitteet tekevät öljyn käytön hallinnasta entistä tärkeämpää. Maailman johtaviin öljynpuhdistuslaitteistojen valmistajan CC Jensen (CJC) ratkaisujen avulla parannat merkittävästi tuotantovarmuutta ja ne auttavat osaltaan kohti vastuullisempaa resurssien käyttöä.

Teknoma Oy on teknisen alan maahantuontiyritys ja teollisuuden asiantuntija. Edustamme kansainvälisten yritysten korkealaatuisia tuotteita. Palvelemme ja autamme asiakkaitamme parantamaan kilpailukykyä kestävästi ja vastuullisesti

Janne Juhola toimii Teknoma Oy:ssä mekaanisten tuotteiden myyntijohtajana ja hänellä on yli 25 vuoden työura pääosin metalliteollisuudessa.

klo 11:15 – 11:30

Unpredicted failure of equipment causes significant losses due to downtime, while predicting lifetime of equipment and onsite repair durability can ensure smooth operation. This is especially important in demanding environments such as mining. In this presentation a short introduction is given to modelling WAAM (wire arc additive manufacturing) repairs with regards of fatigue, how to consider hot-spot stresses in different applications and how to link measurement data to simulations.

Johanna Sjölund is the Manager of Elomatic’s Structural Analysis team. She earned her Doctor of Science (Technology) degree in 2015 specializing in structural analysis.
Johanna joined Elomatic in 2016 as a structural analyst and later progressed to a Team Manager role. Since last autumn, she has been leading the entire Structural Analysis group.

klo 11:30 – 11:45

Vesikierrot-hanke tutkii ja demonstroi erilaisia tapoja poistaa kiintoainetta ja puhdistaa kaivosteollisuuden prosessivesiä. Aluksi kaivosveden puhdistusmenetelmiä demonstroitiin Savonian AMK:n vesilabrassa ja myöhemmin kaivoksella todellisissa olosuhteissa. Mukana projektissa ovat Sofifiltration Oy, Dewaco Oy, Watman Engineering Oy, BioSO4 Oy sekä AA Sakatti mining Oy. Business Finland tukee tätä hanketta.

Jukka Hakola toimii Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulussa usean hankkeen projektipäällikkönä, joista ”kehittyneet menetelmät tuotantoprosessien vesikiertojen ja sivuvirtojen hallintaan”-hanke on yksi. Hän vastaa tutkimus- ja yritysyhteistyöhankkeen koordinoinnista sekä hankkeen yrityskumppaneiden välisestä yhteistyöstä ja kehittämisestä. Hän toimii myös hallituksen puheenjohtajana SansOx Oy:ssä, joka toimittaa ratkaisuja vedenlaadun parantamiseen myös kaivosteollisuudessa.

klo 12:00 – 12:15

TEM:n kaivannaisteollisuuden sivukivien kiertotalouden koordinaatiotyöryhmän loppuraportissa (2024) suositeltiin laatimaan kaivannaisjätteen jätehuoltosuunnitelman liitteeksi kiertotalousselvitys/-suunnitelma kaivannaisjätteen hyötykäytön edistämiseksi kaivosalueella ja sen ulkopuolella. Esitys käsittelee selvityksen tavoitteita, sisältösuosituksia sekä sen kytkeytymistä kaivoshankkeen teknistaloudelliseen suunnitteluun.

Soile Niemisellä on yli 20 vuoden kokemus kaivannaissektorin ympäristövaikutusten arvioinnista ja hallinnasta sekä lupamenettelyistä. Hän on kaivannaisjätehuollon, kaivostoiminnan BAT-ratkaisujen sekä ympäristö- ja vesitalouslupien asiantuntija, jonka erityisosaamisena ovat kaivostoiminnan ympäristösääntely sekä lupahakemusten, jätehuolto- ja sulkemissuunnitelmien, ja muiden ympäristöselvitysten laadun validointi viranomaisvaatimusten näkökulmasta.

klo 12:15 – 12:30

Suomen materiaalien kiertotalousaste on edelleen matala. Samalla teollisuuden raaka-aineiden saatavuudesta ja kilpailukyvystä on tullut entistä tärkeämpiä kysymyksiä. Tietoiskussa tarkastellaan, miten kierrätysraaka-aineiden käyttöä voidaan kasvattaa ja mitä se edellyttää markkinoilta, investoinneilta ja sääntelyltä. Kiertotalous ei heti korvaa neitseellisten raaka-aineiden käyttöä, mutta kierrätysraaka-aineista on rakennettavissa nykyistä merkittävämpi osa Suomen teollista raaka-ainepohjaa.

Kierrätysteollisuus ry:n toimitusjohtaja Mia Nores työskentelee kiertotalouden, materiaalikiertojen ja teollisuuden toimintaympäristön kehittämisen parissa. Koulutukseltaan hän on diplomi-insinööri ja hänellä on pitkä kokemus teollisuus-, ympäristö- ja kiertotalouspolitiikasta.

klo 12:30 – 12:45

How quality failures create environmental impacts that never appear in sustainability reports.

Core Message:

Many organizations measure their carbon footprint, energy consumption, and waste streams.
Yet a simple quality failure can generate:

– unnecessary raw material consumption
– additional manufacturing
– extra packaging
– repeated transportation
– emergency service interventions
– avoidable downtime
– disposal of failed components

In other words:
A defect is not only a quality problem. It is also an environmental problem.

The central question becomes:
Could quality management be one of the most powerful and underutilized sustainability tools available to industry?

Karolina Wrońska is the founder of en2im.com and Nordic Port and Pit Solutions (NPPS). She helps industrial companies improve performance by applying practical quality management principles, rapid learning cycles, and proven best practices from international manufacturing environments.

Her work is guided by a simple belief: quality and sustainability go hand in hand. Through NPPS, she brings this philosophy to the mining industry, exploring how longer-lasting components can reduce maintenance, minimize waste, and lower the environmental footprint of industrial operations.

klo 13:00 – 13:15

Malminetsintä- ja kaivoshankkeet sijoittuvat yhä useammin alueille, joille suunnitellaan myös uusiutuvan energian tuotantoa tai muita teollisia hankkeita. Onnistunut kaavaprosessi on olennainen osa kaivostoiminnan mahdollistamisessa. Miten kaivoshanke voidaan kaavoituksen keinoin sovittaa yhteen tuulivoimahankkeen kanssa?

Nestori Grönholm työskentelee Sitowise Oy:ssä maankäytön suunnittelun ja ympäristövaikutusten arvioinnin tehtävien parissa projektipäällikkönä, kaavanlaatijana sekä maankäytön asiantuntijana. Nestori vastaa Titanor Oy:n titaanihankkeen sekä Endomines Oy:n Eteläisen kultalinjan kaivoshankkeen kaavoituksesta. Lisäksi hän työskentelee useiden uusiutuvan energian hankkeiden kaavoitus- ja YVA-menettelyjen parissa.

Nestori Grönholm on tavattavissa Finnmateria -messujen ajan Sitowisen osastolla B-741.

klo 14:00 – 14:15

Hakemuksen laadukkuus on keskiössä myös strategisen hankkeen lupamenettelyn sujuvuudessa. Esitys tarjoaa näkökulmia laadukkaan hakemuksen valmisteluun ja viranomaisvaatimusten täyttymisen varmistamiseen sekä hakijan keinoihin vaikuttaa lupaprosessin sujuvuuteen.

Soile Niemisellä on yli 20 vuoden kokemus kaivannaissektorin ympäristövaikutusten arvioinnista ja hallinnasta sekä lupamenettelyistä. Hän on kaivannaisjätehuollon, kaivostoiminnan BAT-ratkaisujen sekä ympäristö- ja vesitalouslupien asiantuntija, jonka erityisosaamisena ovat kaivostoiminnan ympäristösääntely sekä lupahakemusten, jätehuolto- ja sulkemissuunnitelmien, ja muiden ympäristöselvitysten laadun validointi viranomaisvaatimusten näkökulmasta.

klo 10:45 – 11:00

Miten luontokatoon reagointi vaikuttaa kaivosten ennallistamisen odotuksiin? Mitä ennallistamiselta odotetaan 2030?

Viertiö on koulutukseltaan biologi (FM) ja erikoistunut yritysten strategiseen biodiversiteettityöhön sekä luontosiirtymän edistämiseen yhteiskunnassa. Virve kehittää L&T:llä kiertotalous- ja luontoratkaisuja teollisille asiakkaille.

klo 11:00 – 11:15

Kaivostoiminnan pölyä synnyttävät prosessit jäävät usein kokonaan tai osittain hallitsematta, tai vain väliaikaisesti kastelemalla hallituiksi. Keräämällä pölyt talteen kuivalla, modulaarisella järjestelmällä on mahdollista luoda kokonaan uusi materiaalin sivuvirta, joka itsessään maksaa pölynhallinnan.

Antti Kokkonen työskentelee Filtrabitilla Business Development Managerina ja vastaa yhtiön liiketoiminnan kehittämisestä Pohjoismaiden teollisuusmarkkinoilla. Hänellä on yli 10 vuoden kokemus prosessiteollisuudesta useammalta eri teollisuuden alalta. Viime vuosina hänen työnsä on keskittynyt erityisesti kaivos- ja metalliteollisuuden pölynhallintaan sekä pölyjen talteenoton hyödyntämismahdollisuuksiin. Koulutukseltaan hän on prosessiautomaation diplomi-insinööri Oulun yliopistosta.

klo 11:15 – 11:30

For more than 90 years, EKATO has been developing innovative mixing solutions for process industries worldwide. In the mining and minerals processing industry, EKATO supports customers in optimizing critical processes, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring reliable performance under demanding conditions.
This short company presentation provides an overview of EKATO’s expertise, global presence, and comprehensive portfolio of mixing technologies for mining applications.
Learn how process know-how, engineering excellence, and customer-focused solutions enable EKATO to address complex mixing challenges and contribute to the success of mining projects around the world.

klo 11:30 – 11:50

Suomen Rakennuskone Oy on vuoden 2026 alusta lähtien ollut osa kanadalaista SMS Equipment INC:ä. SMS Equipment toimii Kanadassa, Alaskassa ja Mongoliassa vastaten Komatsu-maarakennus- ja kaivoskoneiden jälleenmyynnistä sekä huoltopalveluista.

Smart Quarry Site on konemerkistä riippumaton tuotannonohjausjärjestelmä, joka otetaan käyttöön ja lanseerataan Suomen markkinoille. Australialaisen iVolven toimittamalla järjestelmällä on yli 30 vuoden kehityshistoria, ja sitä kehitetään jatkuvasti vastaamaan nykyaikaisia tarpeita kaivos- ja kiviainestuotannossa sekä suuremmissa ja vaativissa infrahankkeissa.

Järjestelmä tarjoaa monipuoliset työkalut:
* tuotannon reaaliaikaiseen seurantaan ja ohjaukseen
* kalustonhallintaan ja käytön optimointiin
* kuljettajien opastukseen ja työskentelyn seurantaan
* raportointiin, jonka tietoja voidaan hyödyntää myös laskutuksen perusteena
Smart Quarry Site tuo tuotannon, kaluston ja työskentelyn seurannan yhteen järjestelmään, mahdollistaen tehokkaamman toiminnan ja paremman näkyvyyden tuotannon kokonaisuuteen.

Ville Mamia vastaa Suomen Rakennuskoneella kaivosasiakkuuksista sekä kaivosliiketoimintojen kehityksestä.

klo 12:00 – 12:15

klo 12:15 – 12:30

Innovaatiot syntyvät harvoin sattumalta. Ne syntyvät pitkäjänteisestä tutkimuksesta, rohkeudesta haastaa vallitsevat toimintamallit ja halusta rakentaa parempia ratkaisuja tulevaisuuden tarpeisiin. Tässä puheenvuorossa Jussi Saavalainen kertoo, miten FORCIT kehittää seuraavan sukupolven räjähdysaineteknologioita ja millaisia mahdollisuuksia vetyperoksidi tarjoaa kaivos- ja infra-alalle tulevina vuosina.

Jussi Saavalainen toimii FORCIT Explosivesin Center of Excellence Managerina ja vastaa siviiliräjähteiden tutkimus- ja kehitystoiminnasta. Yli 20 vuoden uransa aikana hän on työskennellyt alan lähes kaikilla keskeisillä osa-alueilla, tutkimuksesta ja tuotekehityksestä tuotantoon, laadunhallintaan, prosessikehitykseen, teknisiin palveluihin ja myyntiin. Tämä laaja kokemus antaa hänelle ainutlaatuisen näkökulman siihen, miten innovaatio, turvallisuus ja operatiivinen huippuosaaminen rakentavat alan tulevaisuutta.

12:30 – 12:45

Uudet mittaus- ja tiedonsiirtoteknologiat tekevät myös maa- ja kallioperän siirtymien seurannasta entistä skaalautuvampaa, helpompaa ja edullisempaa. Tule kuulemaan esimerkkejä IoT-laitteiden ja GNSS-siirtymämittausten hyödyntämisestä kaivosalueilla.

Sanni Eerikäinen (M. Sc in Tech) works closely with environmental and geotechnical monitoring at several mine sites in Finland and Sweden.

This year, FinnMateria has broadened its focus from mining and refining to encompass the recycling of mineral materials and the development of more resource-efficient solutions across the value chain. As a part of recycling-topic “Frontiers in Recycling and Recovery of Critical Minerals”- seminar brings together researchers, industry experts, technology providers, mining and recycling companies and other stakeholders from across the critical minerals ecosystem to discuss the latest advances and practical solutions in the recycling and recovery of critical minerals.

The seminar is particularly focusing on battery minerals and rare earth elements, providing an excellent opportunity for exchange of up-to-date knowledge among these topics.

The seminar is intended for professionals, researchers, and anyone interested in advanced technologies for resource efficiency and the sustainable use of natural resources in mining.

klo 10:00 – 10:10

The Center of Expertise for Circular Economy (CECE) has been established to act as a link between cutting-edge research and industrial needs. A key role in our activities is to develop sustainable and cost-effective solutions to secure the availability of raw materials for European industry.

The security of supply of raw materials classified as critical by the European Commission has become even more important due to recent world events. Our research is focusing on recovery technologies for battery metals, rare earths and precious metals. All of them are enabling the transition of modern society from a fossil-based to a raw material-based economy.

Ari Väisänen (Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Circular Economy at the University of Jyväskylä) is an expert on fields of analytical and solution chemistry. He is a chairman of the Center of Expertise for Circular Economy (CECE), which is a platform for research organizations and industrial partners. His research has been focused on circular economy and especially method development for the recovery of critical raw materials from waste streams. He has played a key role in the development of new water purification technologies and especially 3D printed scavenger technology. He is a member of NATO’s Science & Technology Organization. Väisänen has also been an expert in European Commission`s CRMs assessment.

klo 10:10 – 10:40

Secondary material flows from mining, metal refining, and end-of-life battery processes offer significant opportunities to improve resource efficiency and sustainability within the battery value chain. Integrating these side streams and recycled materials into battery material production reduces dependence on virgin resources, lowers environmental impacts, and supports a circular economy. This approach strengthens the security of critical raw material supply while creating new value from industrial by-products and waste streams. This talk reviews the recent national innovations done in the field.

Ulla Lassi is a professor and the head of Research unit of Sustainable chemistry, at the University of Oulu. Her research areas involve inorganic material chemistry in industrial applications, especially battery chemicals, and related circular economy. She has over 300 peerly reviewed scientific publications, seven patents and several invention disclosures. As a professor, she has supervised 37 PhD theses and more than 150 M.Sc theses. Lassi has been the principal investigator of over 40 research projects, including projects funded by Horizon Europe, Research Council of Finland, and Business Finland. Professor Lassi is also an active member in several scientific societies and committees. She has several positions of trust, e.g. in international battery associations and evaluation committees. Lassi was one of the writers of Finnish National Battery Strategy 2025. She has also been awarded Tandem Industry Academy Professor in the field of battery chemistry for 2023-2025.

klo 10:40 – 11:00

As demand for raw materials continues to grow, scaling-up extraction alone is not enough. We must deliver greater value from every tonne mined. This session explores how circular economy approach, advanced mineral processing design, and piloting solutions can turn tailings, mining waste, and side streams into value-added products. It also addresses the role of optimised tailings management in minimising environmental impact.

Dr.-Ing Quentin Dehaine is a Research Professor at the Geological Survey of Finland GTK, where he leads national and European research and innovation projects at the intersection of process mineralogy, mineral processing, geometallurgy and traceability. His work focuses on critical raw materials, including cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements, with a strong emphasis on developing integrated approaches to support mine value chain optimisation, responsible sourcing, and resource efficiency.

Quentin holds a PhD in Mining and Mineral Engineering from the Université de Lorraine (France) and an engineer degree from the École Nationale Supérieure de Géologie (ENSG Nancy). Additionally, he is an Editor of the Separation and Purification Technology journal, and serves as Officer for Scandinavia within the IUGS Initiative on Forensic Geology.

11:00 – 11:20

Over 25 years of experience in various industrial roles, focusing on advanced materials, recovery and recycling of valuable elements, and process development. He has been with Fortum Battery Recycling since 2019.

klo 11:20 – 11:40

Speaker will introduce the organizational profile related to circular economy research at HIF, HZDR, Germany. This talk will give an overview of hydrometallurgical process developments for Vanadium and Lithium recovery from secondary resources such as industrial slags and battery wastes, respectively. It will elaborate the complexity in polymetallic secondary feeds handling and step-by-step approaches based on the hydrometallurgy to have access to high purity energy materials like V and Li. The speaker will also show the examples of metallurgical process developments from lab to pilot scale.

Adj. Prof. Dr. Ajay B. Patil holds a PhD in Analytical and Radiochemistry. After PhD, he had multiple research stays at the University of Bologna (Italy), Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL), (Switzerland).

He holds now international joint adjunct professorship, being head of the department of Process Metallurgy at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) in Freiberg (Germany) and Senior Lecturer in Circular economy and Analytical chemistry at University of Jyväskylä (JYU) (Finland).

Dr. Patil is the co-founder and former CEO of REMRETEch GmbH (Switzerland), a company focused on rare earth and technology metal recovery. He is an active member of European expert groups on critical raw materials, CRM act and proposed circular economy act implementation aspects.

In his research, Dr. Patil focuses on circular economy of critical metals including rare earths, energy, technology and battery materials: process design, development, piloting and implementation, with nearly 1100m2 of piloting space developed in Freiberg, Germany and Bench scale piloting lab at JYU, Finland. Other aspects of his work are process and economic feasibility, comprehensive and alternative value chains based on hydro and pyrometallurgy and membranes-based strategies. He is further interested in safe and sustainable management of e-waste, metallic resources/low grade ores, industrial byproduct slags, mining tailings and advanced materials, with a long-term vision of establishing a globally recognized competence center in process metallurgy and the circular economy of mineral and metalliferous resources.

klo 13:00 – 13:30

This presentation explores the strategic importance of rare earth elements and permanent magnets in an era defined by geopolitical competition, accelerating clean‑tech deployment, and tightening supply constraints. It examines global dynamics in primary production, the emerging potential of recycling and material substitution, and the European Union’s expanding policy actions to strengthen resilience across critical mineral value chains. The session highlights Finland’s unique opportunities to support European production—from upstream mining and processing to advanced magnet materials—and outlines pathways to ensure long‑term security of supply for the raw materials essential to Europe’s green and digital transitions.

Dr. Vesa is the CEO of Not Innovated Here – Laboratory of Creative Destruction, a consultancy focused on critical raw materials, industrial strategy, and technological transitions. He has worked in the fields of critical minerals and battery industries for more than 15 years.

Over the past five years, Dr. Vesa served at Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, where he acted as Chief Specialist for minerals policy, and as the lead editor of the National Battery Strategy published in January 2021. He has also contributed to the development of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and Finland’s National Mineral Strategy released in December 2024. He is currently managing the update of Finland’s battery strategy on behalf of the Finnish Battery Industries. Dr. Vesa is the author of several studies on the security of supply of critical raw materials, including preparatory analyses for the National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). He holds a doctoral degree in Information Systems Science and has more than a decade of experience in hardware, software, and semiconductor industries, having worked for companies such as IBM, Nokia, and AMD.

klo 13:30 – 13:50

Rare earth elements are essential for high-performance permanent magnets used in electrification, wind energy, industrial technologies and defence, yet their production and processing remain highly concentrated. This presentation introduces the fundamentals of the rare earth market, examines Europe’s developing industrial landscape, and discusses Sokli’s potential role as a future source of rare earth raw materials within a more resilient European value chain.

Jani Adolfsson-Tallqvist is Business Development Manager at Sokli Oy, focusing on Sokli’s business development, partnerships and More than a Mine Veturi ecosystem. His role connects market needs, industrial partners, public funding and R&D themes to turn Sokli’s unique mineral potential into wider value-chain opportunities beyond mining. He supports collaboration around phosphate, rare earth elements, niobium and side streams, strengthening Finland’s and Europe’s critical raw materials resilience.

Jani has a background in strategy, innovation, EU affairs, market intelligence and open innovation ecosystems, with earlier consulting experience across battery, mining, energy and circular economy sectors. He holds an M.Sc. in Materials Engineering from Aalto University.

klo 13:50 – 14:10

Sami Virolainen is the Head of the Department of Separation Science at LUT University and a researcher-teacher specializing in hydrometallurgy; he has spent 20 years working on separation technologies and circular economy issues.

Virolainen also leads the multidisciplinary SCI-MAT research platform, which brings together experts from engineering, sustainability sciences, and business studies to advance the circular economy of metals.

klo 14:10 – 14:30

The Richest reserve is Already Above Ground and growing every day. Amount of electronic waste is projected to double by 2030 while collection , recycling and especially CRM recovery is lagging. Recovering Critical Raw Materials (CRM) from Electronic Waste possess great potential to EU’ minerals targets, reducing scarcity and import dependence. Currently utilizing this circular stream faces systemic, economic and technical challenges. Kuusakoski is leading way and taking concrete steps to solve the equation. Investing in Lahti Infinity center – our Vision on how integrated re-use, recycling and critical raw materials recovery look at industrial scale.

Tuomas Haikka currently works as Chief Sustainability Officer at Kuusakoski, where responsibilities also include leading Research and Innovation. Tuomas has extensive 20yrs. international experience among Sustainability and metals industry topics, prior joining Kuusakoski he worked 15 yrs. in various leadership positions regarding Sustainability, Strategy and Supply Chain management at Stainless steel company Outokumpu. In addition Tuomas is serving at Boards of Finish Recycling Industries association, Chemical industries of Finland and Recycling Europe where Circular economy is on agenda every time.