The minor metals conference Vancouver 2026 convenes more than 300 delegates at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from 21 to 23 April, making it the most significant gathering in the minor metals trading calendar this year. Organised by Metal Events Ltd under the theme “How minor metals are defining a new world order,” the event draws traders, processors, producers, and analysts from across the global technology metals supply chain. Pre-conference events begin on 20 April.
For background on the conference format and key themes, see CMN’s MMTA Conference 2026 Preview.
Confirmed Speakers at the Minor Metals Conference Vancouver 2026
The speaker programme spans two full conference days across three thematic sessions, with participants drawn from North America, Europe, Asia, and the UK.
Opening — Wednesday 22 April
Rachel Carnac, Co-Founder and Joint MD of Metal Events Ltd, opens the conference before handing to Stephen Hall, Chair of the MMTA and Managing Director of Advanced Alloy Services Ltd, Sheffield, who delivers the welcome address. Hall is the current chair of the MMTA board and one of the most prominent figures in the UK superalloy revert sector — his opening remarks will set the political and commercial tone for the two days that follow.
Session 1: Trade, Tariffs and Minor Metals in a Changing World Order
Thomas Feldmann, Corporate Development Director at 5N Plus (Canada, TSX: VNP), opens the first session with a paper titled “Criticality + Instability = Opportunity (?)”. 5N Plus is a specialist producer of high-purity metals and compounds — its presence on the speaker roster reflects growing Canadian interest in securing technology metals supply chains.
Jan Giese, Senior Manager Minor Metals and REE Sales at Tradium GmbH (Germany), follows with “The impact of geopolitics on minor metals.” Tradium is a Frankfurt-based physical technology metals dealer and an active MMTA member; Giese’s session is expected to address the structural shifts in trade flows driven by China’s export licensing regime.
Session 2: Minor Metals at a Crossroads
Theo D. Ruas, Global Sales Manager Metals and Compounds at Indium Corporation (USA), covers the indium market — a metal under increasing scrutiny given China’s 2023 export controls and tightening supply in the Western hemisphere.
Mandy Yin, Product Director at Zhuzhou Keneng New Material Co., Ltd. (China), presents on “High purity Indium and Gallium: critical metal materials, market situation.” Zhuzhou Keneng is an MMTA member and one of the few Chinese producers actively presenting to Western trade audiences.
Grace Asimov, Market Editor at Fastmarkets (USA), closes the session with “Shifting dynamics in antimony: how supply, demand and geopolitics are redefining the market landscape.” Antimony has moved sharply up the strategic agenda following China’s export restrictions introduced in late 2024, and Fastmarkets is one of the primary benchmark pricing services for the metal.
Session 3: Panel — “How Are Minor Metals Defining a New World Order? Trade, Technology and Defence”
The afternoon panel on 22 April features two participants: David S. Abraham, Affiliate Professor at Boise State University (USA) and author of The Elements of Power, a widely cited text on technology metals geopolitics; and Ian Margerison, Executive Marketing Manager at the TIC — Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (Belgium), the global industry body for tantalum and niobium.
Thursday 23 April
Dr Jinghui Wu, CEO of Ningbo Chuangrun New Materials (China), opens the final day with a paper covering developments in high-purity titanium, cobalt, niobium, and tantalum — four metals at the intersection of aerospace supply chains and critical minerals policy. Niobium and tantalum data relevant to conference discussions can be tracked through CMN’s cobalt price coverage and sister metal pages.
Will Parry-Jones of Wolfram Advisory (UK) presents “Wolfram Wars: tungsten and the scarcity trap” — a paper with immediate commercial relevance given China’s tungsten export controls introduced in 2024 and the accelerating effort by Western governments to identify alternative supply. Parry-Jones is a specialist tungsten consultant; his session is one of the most anticipated of the programme.
Argus Metals (USA) closes the formal sessions with a paper on “Critical materials in automotive.” The confirmed speaker name has not been released at time of publication.
Sponsors and Commercial Stakeholders
Seven companies have taken confirmed sponsorship positions at the minor metals conference Vancouver 2026, a reliable indicator of active marketing budgets across the attending membership.
| Sponsor | Country | Event |
|---|---|---|
| ICD Group | — | Golf Tournament (20 Apr) + Gala Dinner (22 Apr) |
| Advanced Alloy Services Ltd | UK | Pre-Dinner Drinks (22 Apr) |
| Donald McArthy Alloy Processors (DMT) | UK | Gala Dinner co-sponsor (22 Apr) |
| Titan International | USA (NYSE: TITN) | Luncheon (22 Apr) |
| CCMA LLC | USA | Welcome Reception (21 Apr) |
| Exotech | USA | Barista Coffee Breaks (multiple) |
| IMS Metals and Alloys | — | Cocktail Party (20 Apr) |
ICD Group holds the largest commercial footprint at the event, with placements across both the pre-conference golf tournament and the Gala Dinner. Advanced Alloy Services and Donald McArthy Alloy Processors — two UK-based superalloy revert specialists — are co-sponsoring the evening entertainment programme, reflecting the continued strength of the UK processing sector within the MMTA community.
Joel Nields of Exotech (USA) sits on the MMTA board and his company’s recurring coffee break sponsorship across multiple conference slots signals consistent financial commitment to the annual event.
Who Else Is Attending?
The MMTA counts more than 130 member companies from 25-plus countries, with an estimated collective worth exceeding USD 10 billion. The Vancouver 2026 attendance roster — historically above 300 delegates at recent editions including Lisbon 2025 — draws from across the full technology metals ecosystem: physical traders, toll processors, superalloy revert specialists, pure metal producers, recyclers, market analysts, industry consultants, and legal and financial advisers with metals sector mandates.
All three sitting MMTA board directors are confirmed present: Stephen Hall (Chair, Advanced Alloy Services), Joel Nields (Director, Exotech), and David Buyang Ma (Director, Metalink International, China) — elected to the board in April 2025 and the first Chinese national to serve as an MMTA director. Ma chairs the MMTA Asia Sub-Committee alongside representatives from Vital Materials and Lipmann Walton.
The broader attendee mix typically includes representation from companies such as Darton Commodities, Wogen Resources, Westbrook Resources, Lipmann Walton, Alfred H Knight, Umicore, and Heraeus — though confirmed individual attendee lists are not published in advance.
Why Vancouver 2026 Matters for the Minor Metals Market
The 2026 programme reflects the fault lines currently running through global technology metals trade. Three of the week’s six formal presentations address geopolitics directly — covering tariffs, China’s export controls on gallium, indium, antimony, and tungsten, and the structural reorientation of Western supply chains that has accelerated since 2023.
The companies in the room at Vancouver are the traders, processors, and producers who operate those supply chains daily. Deal flow, contract terms, spot price signals, and sourcing strategies discussed at the Hyatt Regency in April tend to filter into the broader market in the months that follow. The North America critical minerals market is an increasingly central venue for these conversations, with the US and Canada both moving aggressively to de-risk technology metals procurement from Chinese-controlled supply.
For the nickel and cobalt-adjacent supply chain, the Thursday session on high-purity cobalt, niobium, and tantalum from Ningbo Chuangrun is worth monitoring closely; see CMN’s nickel price tracker for related market context.
Registration and Attendance
Registration for the minor metals conference Vancouver 2026 is open via metalevents.com. The MMTA member rate is £1,300; non-member rates are higher. The conference runs 21–23 April 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver, with pre-conference events from 20 April. Delegate numbers are capped and places at recent MMTA conferences have sold out in advance.
For the full agenda and session-by-session breakdown, see the forthcoming CMN agenda article.
When and where is the minor metals conference Vancouver 2026?
The minor metals conference Vancouver 2026 runs from 21 to 23 April 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver, Canada. Pre-conference events including a golf tournament and cocktail party take place on 20 April.
Who is speaking at the MMTA conference in Vancouver 2026?
Confirmed speakers include Stephen Hall (Advanced Alloy Services, MMTA Chair), Thomas Feldmann (5N Plus), Jan Giese (Tradium GmbH), Theo D. Ruas (Indium Corporation), Mandy Yin (Zhuzhou Keneng), Grace Asimov (Fastmarkets), David S. Abraham (Boise State University), Ian Margerison (TIC), Dr Jinghui Wu (Ningbo Chuangrun New Materials), Will Parry-Jones (Wolfram Advisory), and a representative from Argus Metals.
Who organises the MMTA International Minor Metals Conference?
The conference is organised by Metal Events Ltd, co-founded by Rachel Carnac, who serves as Joint Managing Director. Metal Events Ltd has organised the MMTA annual conference for a number of years. The event is held under the auspices of the Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA).
How do I register for the minor metals conference Vancouver 2026?
Registration is available via metalevents.com. The MMTA member rate is £1,300; non-member rates are higher. Delegate numbers are limited and recent editions of the conference have sold out ahead of the event date.
What topics are covered at the MMTA Vancouver 2026 conference?
Sessions cover trade tariffs and minor metals in a changing geopolitical landscape, the indium and gallium market, antimony supply and pricing, tungsten scarcity and export controls, high-purity metals for aerospace, critical materials in automotive, and a panel on how minor metals are shaping global trade, technology, and defence procurement.
