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CIM Distinguished Lecturers
2020CIM Fellowship
Joël Kapusta joined BBA in 2010 and is currently subject matter expert in sonic injection and pyrometallurgy. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in extractive metallurgy of nonferrous metals. He is a key developer of oxygen injection technologies into molten metals (sonic injection) for bath smelting, converting, and refining furnaces that he implements and commissions in smelters to intensify the reactors while improving the operators’ safety, and to lower the reactors process off-gas volumes to better control their environmental footprint.
Joël was president of the Metallurgical and Materials Society (MetSoc) of CIM in 2007-2008 and chairman of the board of MetSoc in 2008-2009. He was a member of the Council of the Extraction and Processing Division (EPD) of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) in the USA in 2006-2007 as chair of the Copper, Nickel and Cobalt Committee. He is also a member of the Pyrometallurgy Committee of TMS since 2000.
He has organized or co-organized several symposia for both MetSoc and TMS. Most notably for METSOC, he was chair of MetSoc’s 50th Conference of Metallurgists anniversary celebrations in 2011, and of Copper 2019, the 10th Edition of the Copper International Conference.
Joël joined CIM in 1991 as a PhD student at the University of British Columbia. He is a Fellow of CIM since 2020 and the recipient in 2020 of MetSoc’s Airey award, described as the most prestigious award for a Canadian metallurgist.
Distinguished Lecturer 2025-26
Can we solve the copper and nickel smelting paradox? Reconciling energy transition needs with environmental compliance and societal acceptance
Lecture Abstract
Copper and nickel are critical metals for energy transition, playing vital roles in urbanization, construction, manufacturing, and modern technology such as electrical vehicles and electronic devices. Despite their significance, copper and nickel smelters are often criticized for their environmental impacts, leading to public outcry for their closure.
This lecture aims to educate attendees about copper and nickel smelting processes and the technologies available to improve environmental compliance. While long-term solutions like breakthrough technologies take years to commercialize, process intensification offers a short-term option that can be implemented immediately. For example, high oxygen punchless tuyeres can reduce the burden on gas capture and cleaning technologies, and lower or eliminate fugitive emissions, while also improving operators’ safety.
I will invite my audience to question and challenge me all through my presentation and I truly look forward to discussing how we can resolve the copper and nickel smelting paradox!
