Plenary Speakers

XX BMPC 2026

XX. Balkan Mineral Processing Congress (BMPC 2026)

Plenary Speakers – BMPC 2026

Prof. Dr. Cyril O’CONNOR

Prof. Dr. Cyril O’CONNOR

Center for Mineral Research (CMR), University of Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA

“A review of the origins of hydrophobicity of solids and its measurement”

Prof. Dr. Marinela Panayotova

Prof. Dr. Marinela Panayotova

The University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”, Sofia, BULGARIA

“Waste from Some Nonferrous Base Metals Extraction as Source of Critical Metals”

Prof. Dr. Şafak Gökhan Özkan

Prof. Dr. Şafak Gökhan Özkan

Turkish-German University, TÜRKİYE

The Institute of Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, Department of Robotics and Intelligent Systems Engineering

“Effects of Ultrasound on Settling Behavior of Some Critical Minerals”

Prof. Dr. André Carlos Silva

Prof. Dr. André Carlos Silva

Federal University of Catalão (UFCAT), BRAZIL

Faculty of Engineering, Mining Engineering Department

“Niobium (Nb) and Tantalum (Ta) Concentration”

Prof. Dr. Ayhan Ali Sirkeci

Prof. Dr. Ayhan Ali Sirkeci

Istanbul Technical University, TÜRKİYE

Mining Faculty, Mineral Processing Engineering Department

“Ore Silos and Flow Problems”

Prof. Dr. Saeed Chehreh Chelgani

Prof. Dr. Saeed Chehreh Chelgani

Lulea University of Technology, SWEDEN

Director of the Swedish School of Mines

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Mineral Processing”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jože Kortnik

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jože Kortnik

University of Ljubljana, SLOVENIA

Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geotechnology, Mining and Environment

“Bonding mechanisms in briquetting of recycled waste powders”

Prof. Dr. Przemyslaw B. Kowalczuk

Prof. Dr. Przemyslaw B. Kowalczuk

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NORWAY

Department of Geosciences

“Flotation 4.0: Greener, Smarter, Sustainable”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gjergj Dodbiba

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gjergj Dodbiba

The University of Tokyo, JAPAN

Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering

“Integrating Advanced Separation techniques for sustainable recovery of critical metals from deep-sea ferromanganese crusts”

Prof. Dr. Nurten Deva

Prof. Dr. Nurten Deva

The University of Mitrovica “Isa Boletini” (UMIB), REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

Rector, the University of Mitrovica “Isa Boletini”

“Exploitation of Natural Resources: The Economic and Environmental Impact of Their Utilization”

Prof. Dr. Helmut Flachberger

Prof. Dr. Helmut Flachberger

Montanuniversität Leoben, AUSTRIA

Mineral Resources Engineering Department

“Electrostatic separation after triboelectric charging in the processing of primary raw materials – status quo in research and outlook for potential applications”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Sinche Gonzalez

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Sinche Gonzalez

University of Oulu, FINLAND

Mineral Processing Group, Oulu Mining School, Faculty of Technology

“Effect of Waste Rock Dilution on the Flotation of Main Critical Raw Materials (CRM)”

Prof. Dr. Lev O. Filippov

Prof. Dr. Lev O. Filippov

University of Lorraine, FRANCE

Engineering school of Geology (ENSG), GeoRessources Laboratory, Nancy

“Near-zero-waste processing routes for lithium and CRM recovery from hard-rock Li deposits”