The 12th International Bauxite, Alumina, and Aluminium Conference & Exhibition (IBAAS-IIM 2024) held during September 25-27, 2024, at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Goa Campus, India was a grand success. The event concluded with a highly organized post-conference tour of HINDALCO’s Belagavi Alumina Refinery on September 28. The theme, “Aluminium Industry – Vision 2030” resonated strongly, reflecting India’s rapid expansion in alumina and aluminium production to meet rising domestic demand. Key focus areas for the Indian aluminium industry included value addition, import substitution, and energy conservation. The conference gave special attention to decarbonization and digitalization of aluminium production, aligning with industry trends. A full day was dedicated to discussions on reducing carbon footprints, automation, and the application of AI in aluminium production. Across three days of dynamic interactions, the sessions also covered the entire aluminium value chain—from bauxite evaluation and beneficiation to downstream products.

The IBAAS-IIM 2024 event attracted approximately 230 delegates from 100 companies and organizations worldwide, representing bauxite, alumina, and aluminium industries, research institutions, technology and equipment suppliers, service providers, and academic institutions. Experts from India and countries such as Canada, Cameroon, Guinea, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland, UAE, and the USA participated. During the 3 days event, about 70 technical papers including keynote addresses were presented in various sessions. The conference also featured a technical exhibition where seven domestic and international companies showcased the latest equipment, developments in specialty chemicals, and innovations. There were several opportunities; and special spaces are provided at the conference venue for the networking and interactions among delegates and companies.

The inaugural session of IBAAS-IIM 2024 was conducted by Prof. D.M. Kulkarni of BITS, with Dr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), as the Chief Guest. Dr. Vilas Tathavadkar, Chief Technology Officer of Hindalco Industries Ltd., and Mr. Errol Jaeger, a renowned alumina technologist, were Guests of Honor. Prof. Meenal Kowshik, Dean (Admin) at BITS, and Brig. Arun Ganguli, Secretary General of IIM, were also honoured guests. During this function, the IBAAS-IIM 2024 conference souvenir was unveiled, containing abstracts of technical papers, sponsor details, and advertisements. All the delegates have received the full technical papers in soft copy format as BINDER Volume XII.