17th Rare Earth Summit

Ruijun Li
Deputy Director of the Institute of Natural Resources Policies and Regulations
Chinese Academy of Natural Resources Economics

Mr. Ruijun Li has been engaged in research on mineral resource planning, drafting policy documents for mining administration, and analysis of the supply and demand trends of individual mineral resources for many years. The related work primarily supports relevant authorities in mineral resource management, the formulation of national and provincial mineral resource plans, and strategic consultation in specific strategic mineral resource sectors.

Wayne Park
GM of Sales & Marketing
Lynas Rare Earths

Mr. Wayne Park was graduated from Hanyang University (BS engineering) & Sokang University (BAbusiness). He worked as sales manager at OCI from1988 to 1995. He worked as Managing Director Supply Chain & Sales at Solvay from 1996 to 2013. He worked as General Manager of Sales & Marketing at Lynas Rare Earths from 2014 till now.

Ruijun Li
Deputy Director of the Institute of Natural Resources Policies and Regulations
Chinese Academy of Natural Resources Economics

Mr. Ruijun Li has been engaged in research on mineral resource planning, drafting policy documents for mining administration, and analysis of the supply and demand trends of individual mineral resources for many years. The related work primarily supports relevant authorities in mineral resource management, the formulation of national and provincial mineral resource plans, and strategic consultation in specific strategic mineral resource sectors.

Zac Komur
Executive Director
Lindian Resources

Zac Komur is Executive Director of Lindian Resources Limited, where he leads the delivery of the Company’s flagship Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi and the advancement of Stage 2 expansion studies toward execution readiness. Zac brings more than 25 years’ experience across the global resources and energy sectors, with deep expertise in project delivery, commissioning, start-up, mine development and mineral processing.

He has held senior leadership roles at Fortescue, Northvolt, INPEX and BHP, delivering large-scale mining, energy and processing projects across multiple commodities and jurisdictions. A qualified chemical engineer, Zac is recognised for taking complex projects from feasibility through construction and into production, while maintaining strong discipline around schedule, cost and operational performance.

Melvin Hill
Vice President
GE Chaplin Inc.

Melvin joined GE Chaplin in 2015 to help manage and expand its growing rare earth business. He has over twelve years of experience in the rare earth space including nine years in physical trading and three years in market research. Melvin is a graduate of Wake Forest University, where he doubled majored in Economics and Mandarin. He completed a year of post-graduate study at the Harbin Institute of Technology where he focused on Mandarin Language studies and applied natural resource economics.

Established in 1987, GE Chaplin is a global specialty chemical and metal supplier with offices throughout the USA and in the Netherlands. GE Chaplin supplies rare earth products to a diverse set of downstream industries, including catalyst, magnetics, medical imaging, water treatment, glass, ceramics, and aerosp.

Ales Leben
Managing Directorfor Asia Business
Domel d. o. o.

Ales Leben is Bachelorof science electrical engineering. He worked in Domel d.o.o. for more year 19years and set their production company. He mainly focuses on sourcing magnetsand other components at present.

Zhijian Wu
General Manager
Chengdu Galaxy Magnet Co. Ltd.

Mr. Zhijian Wu graduated from Chengdu University of Science and Technology (current name is Sichuan University) with the major of metal materials major in 1986. He used to be the director of the industrial mold branch of the state-owned 716 factory. As one of the founders of Chengdu Galaxy Magnet Co., Ltd, he was the Executive Vice General Manager of the company and now is the General Manager. He has profound attainments in the development, mass production, quality assurance and cost control of bonded NdFeB magnets and their components. He was awarded the First Prize of Sichuan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress, and led the company to be honored with the title of National Manufacturing Individual Champion Demonstration Enterprise for several times in a row.

Sanjay Arya
General Manager
DK Metal World Limited

Born, raised, and educated in New Delhi, the vibrant capital of India, Sanjay Arya embarked on his professional journey with a general trading company. In 1993, driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he ventured to India's commercial capital, Mumbai, to expand his business horizons.

In 1997, Arya joined a prominent Korean trading company, where he honed his expertise in international trade during a rewarding tenure of over five years stationed in Seoul, Korea. This enriching experience provided him with invaluable insights into global markets and refined his understanding of international business practices.

In 2005, driven by a shared vision and a long-standing friendship, Arya, alongside his esteemed associate Mr. Rajesh Gala, established his own company. With an impressive 33 years of experience in the dynamic world of metals and ferro alloys trading and processing, Arya has consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of market dynamics and a commitment to excellence.

Under Arya's astute leadership, the company has successfully diversified its operations, establishing a strong presence in the metal processing and plating industry. Through unwavering dedication and a focus on customer satisfaction, Arya has cultivated strong relationships with India's largest metal and steel industry majors, solidifying the company's position as a trusted and reliable supplier.

Beyond delivering exceptional products and services, Arya has actively contributed to the industry by providing valuable guidance to large consumers. His expertise in market analysis and his ability to streamline procurement processes have proven invaluable to clients navigating the complexities of the metals market.

Zongbo Shi
Vice General Manager
Rezel Catalysts Corporation

Shi Zongbo, of Han ethnicity, is a member of the Communist Party of China. He holds a Ph.D. from East China Normal University and is a Professor-level Senior Engineer. He serves as a Director, Vice General Manager, and R&D Director at Rezel Catalysts Corporation and is also an Industry Mentor for graduate students at Sichuan University. He has been recognized as "Shanghai Eastern Young Talent," "Pudong New Area Pearl Elite Talent," "Pudong Craftsman," and "Lingang Craftsman."

With nearly 15 years of experience dedicated to the research and development of petrochemical catalysts, he has developed products including fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts, self-heating materials for propane dehydrogenation, maleic anhydride catalysts, hydrogenation catalysts, new energy catalysts, and specialty adsorbents. He has published 17 papers in domestic and international academic journals, has been granted 31 Chinese invention patents and 1 utility model patent, has filed 8 PCT patent applications, and has an additional 64 Chinese invention patents at various stages of application.

Donghong Nie
General Manager, Senior Engineer
Hunan Oriental Scandium Co., Ltd.

Donghong Nie was graduated from Hunan University with bachelor degree. He is senior engineer. He has been engaged in the production, development and operation of hydrometallurgical products (manganese, vanadium, indium, germanium, scandium, etc.) for many years. He is now the General Manager of Hunan Oriental Scandium Co., Ltd., the General Manager of Jiaozuo Rongjia Scandium-Vanadium Technology Co., Ltd, the General Manager of Yunnan Oriental Scandium New Material Co., Ltd, and the General Manager of Henan Oriental Scandium New Energy Material Technology Co., Ltd.

Main Honors and Achievements:

He was awarded Changsha City High-level Talent in 2024. He was awarded the Third Prize of Hunan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress in 2008. He has 10 authorised invention patents and 26 utility models.

He overcame the technical bottleneck of extracting scandium oxide and vanadium pentoxide simultaneously from titanium dioxide waste liquid of chlorination method. He improved the titanium dioxide waste liquid extraction equipment and realized the short flow production of scandium oxide and vanadium electrolyte. He led the team to break through the technology of extracting scandium oxide from titanium dioxide waste liquid of sulfuric acid method for large-scale production. He led the team to be assessed as a national high-tech enterprise, a national speciality and new small giant enterprise, an enterprise technology centre in Hunan Province, a new material enterprise in Hunan Province, and a key enterprise in Hunan Industry's 20 emerging advantageous industry chain - new light alloy industry chain.

Öznur Çakır
Deputy GM of R&D, PHD
Türkish Energy,Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency-Rare Earth Elements Research Institute

Ms.Öznur Çakır is a distinguished expert in Rare Earth Elements and magnetic materials, with over 25 years of experience in both academia and industry. She earned her Bachelor's, Master's (both thesis and non-thesis), and Ph.D. degrees in Physics Engineering from Ankara University, and later conducted her postdoctoral research at Duisburg University in Germany. In 2016, she was appointed Associate Professor of Physics at Yıldız Technical University. Currently, Dr. Çakır works as Deputy General Manager at the Rare Earth Elements Research Institute (NATEN), which operates under the Turkish Energy, Nuclear, and Mining Research Institute (TENMAK). In this capacity, she directs strategic national and international projects aimed at establishing domestic production capabilities for permanent magnets and optimizing the utilization of Türkiye's rare earth resources. Dr. Çakır has a strong research background in magnetocaloric materials, magnetic nanocomposites, and REE-based permanent magnets. She has contributed to several high-impact international projects focusing on the development of advanced caloric materials and the characterization of magnetic and dielectric properties of nanocomposites. Her scientific work is widely published in leading international journals.