Day Two ConferenceThursday, 1 April 2027

This panel will examine the increasingly important intersection between NORM management and the growing global demand for critical and strategic raw materials that will be required for the energy transition, advanced technologies, and industrial resilience. Panel leaders will encourage participants to explore how NORM-bearing ores, residues, tailings, and process by-products will become central to discussions on resource security, supply chain diversification, and sustainable mineral development. The discussion will recognise that many of the resources considered critical today—including rare earth elements and other strategic minerals—are frequently associated with naturally occurring radionuclides, creating both challenges and opportunities for industry and regulators.

A key objective of the session will be to assess whether materials traditionally regarded as waste streams can be re-evaluated as potential secondary resources. Panellists will examine the technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility of recovering valuable metals and critical raw materials from tailings, residues, and legacy waste deposits, whilst maintaining robust standards of radiological protection and environmental stewardship. Particular attention will be given to the role that historical mining and processing residues may play in strengthening resource independence and reducing reliance on primary extraction.

The panel will also explore the importance of scientific characterisation and risk assessment in enabling the safe recovery and utilisation of NORM-bearing materials. Participants will discuss how advances in analytical techniques, resource mapping, radiological characterisation, and process technologies will improve understanding of both resource potential and associated risks. The session will encourage a balanced perspective that recognises the need to manage radiological hazards effectively whilst avoiding unnecessary barriers to resource recovery where risks can be demonstrated to be low and manageable.

An important area of discussion will focus on how regulatory frameworks will support the development of critical raw material value chains without compromising safety. Panellists will consider whether existing regulations will adequately reflect the realities of modern resource recovery and circular economy strategies, particularly where residues and by-products contain both economically valuable materials and naturally occurring radionuclides. The discussion will identify opportunities for risk-informed, science-based approaches that will facilitate innovation, investment, and sustainable resource use whilst maintaining public and environmental protection.

The panel will further examine the contribution that NORM management will make to circular economy objectives. Participants will explore how the recovery of critical materials from residues, tailings, and by-products will reduce waste generation, minimise long-term liabilities, improve resource efficiency, and contribute to more sustainable industrial systems. Examples of successful projects, emerging technologies, and innovative business models will be discussed as potential pathways for transforming legacy liabilities into strategic assets.

Finally, the session will address broader societal and geopolitical considerations, including increasing demand for secure supply chains, environmental expectations associated with primary mining, and the need for sustainable sourcing of critical materials. The discussion will explore how the responsible management and valorisation of NORM-bearing materials will contribute simultaneously to resource security, environmental sustainability, industrial competitiveness, and public confidence.

The overall objective of the panel will be to identify how NORM management will evolve from a predominantly waste-focused activity into a strategic component of critical raw material value chains, demonstrating that resource recovery, circularity, and radiological protection are not competing objectives but mutually reinforcing elements of a sustainable and resilient resource strategy.

This panel will examine the practical foundations required to support a transition from a predominantly waste-management perspective towards a resource-management approach for NORM, grounded in risk, evidence, sustainability, and long-term stewardship. An open discussion will take place on the infrastructure, technologies, and service capabilities that will be needed to translate this paradigm shift from policy ambition into operational reality, with particular emphasis on how enabling capacity can be built across jurisdictions at different stages of NORM management maturity.

A central focus of the discussion will be the differing needs of current and future NORM-producing nations. Panellists will assess how established producing nations, with mature regulatory frameworks and existing treatment, storage, and disposal infrastructure, can continue to adapt their capabilities as volumes grow and expectations evolve. Equal attention will be given to emerging and future NORM-producing nations, where industrial activities are expanding, and where the absence of established infrastructure, technical expertise, or regulatory precedent will present both a challenge and an opportunity to build fit-for-purpose systems from the outset, informed by international best practice.

The panel will also address the opportunities and responsibilities that will fall to service providers in supporting capacity building across the sector. Discussions will examine the practical mechanisms through which service providers can contribute to the development of consistent, proportionate, and risk-informed frameworks, including knowledge transfer, technical training, and the provision of scalable solutions suited to nations at varying stages of regulatory and technical development. Attention will be given to identifying gaps in current provision and the commercial and societal opportunities that will arise from addressing them.

In line with the broader paradigm shift, panellists will explore the critical role that laboratories, consultants, and specialist service providers will play in generating the scientific evidence and risk-based assessments needed to underpin informed decision-making. The discussion will consider how advances in radiological characterisation, monitoring, and assessment methodologies will depend on robust and accessible laboratory capacity, and how independent technical consultancy will support regulators, operators, and industry in distinguishing between hazard and risk through credible, exposure-based assessments.

Special attention will be given to the question of how these enabling services and infrastructure can be scaled and coordinated internationally, avoiding duplication of effort whilst ensuring that smaller or newly developing NORM-producing nations are not left without access to essential technical capability. The session will explore how collaborative models, shared infrastructure, and cross-border service provision might reduce barriers to entry whilst maintaining high standards of radiological protection.

The overall objective of the panel will be to identify the practical infrastructure, technological capabilities, and service-provider ecosystems that will be required to enable the shift from waste management to resource management,ensuring that current and future NORM-producing nations alike have access to the labs, consultants, and specialist services needed to manage NORM safely, sustainably, and responsibly.

This panel should examine the significant challenges and opportunities associated with NORM-bearing residues generated by the phosphate, fertilizer, and industrial minerals sectors. Particular attention should be given to phosphogypsum (PG), bauxite residues, and other large-volume by-products that have historically been managed through long-term storage, creating substantial environmental, economic, and stewardship liabilities. The discussion should explore whether these materials can be repositioned as valuable secondary resources within a circular economy framework while maintaining the highest standards of radiological and environmental protection.

A key objective of the session should be to assess practical and scientifically supported pathways for the beneficial use of phosphogypsum and similar residues. Panellists should examine current experience and future opportunities in the use of PG as a raw material for building products, cement and construction materials, road construction, embankments, land reclamation projects, and selected agricultural applications. Discussion should focus on the technical performance of these materials, their environmental and radiological implications, and the conditions under which such uses can be demonstrated to be safe, sustainable, and socially acceptable.

The panel should also consider the role of scientific evidence, characterization, exposure assessment, and long-term monitoring in supporting risk-informed decision-making. Participants should explore how robust data can help regulators, industry, investors, and the public distinguish between perceived and actual risks, enabling proportionate regulation and greater confidence in reuse pathways.

An important theme will be the extent to which current regulatory frameworks facilitate or hinder circularity. Panellists should discuss how clearance criteria, product standards, certification systems, and end-of-waste approaches can support the safe reuse of NORM-bearing materials without compromising public, worker, or environmental protection. Particular attention should be given to the need for regulatory clarity and consistency, which remain essential for attracting investment and enabling market development.

Finally, the discussion should examine how the valorization of phosphate and industrial mineral residues can contribute to sustainability objectives by reducing disposal needs, lowering long-term liabilities, improving resource efficiency, and creating new economic opportunities. The overall objective of the session is to identify practical pathways through which these industries can transition from a disposal-focused model toward a more circular and resource-efficient approach, demonstrating that radiological safety, environmental stewardship, and value creation can be mutually reinforcing goals.