The UK-based Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology has been actively developing rheoforming or melt processing technologies. This technology is used to promote the transformation of liquid alloys into solid products. Components produced from rheoformed technology have an improved mechanical performance and this process could reshape the metallurgical industry.

Bone meal is being used in the remediation of land from the environmental impact of waste materials produced from mining activities. The substance, a good source of phosphates, is used to create an engineered nanobarrier around the site to protect the immediate environment.

To meet proposed European regulations on carbon emissions produced by road transport, the weight of vehicles is being reduced. To reduce costs aluminium is being used by manufacturers as it takes much less energy to recycle than to produce. Old aluminium beverage cans and post-consumer scrap is being turned into aluminium sheet to create a new generation of affordable, low carbon cars that meet the desired safety and durablity standards.

As China's economy grows it has led the world in primary aluminium consumption, the expansion of the countries transport sector and increased use of aluminium semis or interim products and automotive body structures has driven increased demand.

The lightweight, high strength biocompatibility and unmatched corrosion resistance attributes of titanium components can be used to replace other metals. Electrochemical reduction processes are reducing production costs making the metal cheaper and more widely available.

Three mill types have been developed - Tower, IsaMill and Detritor which are designed to reduce the enormous energy requirements needed by mills to produce the fine and ultra fine grinding that enables metals to be recovered from minerals.