Extraction & Processing Division

The Extraction & Processing Division (EPD) is home to those TMS members whose work is related to the extraction and processing of minerals and metals from mined ores, concentrates, and recycled materials using pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and electrochemical processes, emphasizing the technical, engineering, environmental, and economic principles of such processes. This division also addresses further processing of nonferrous metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, precious metals, lead, zinc, and tin and their products by techniques such as refining, purification, alloying, solidification, thermomechanical treatment, and surface coating into finished and semifinished products.

The EPD provides a forum for interaction among professionals from all areas of the extraction and processing communities, including operators and managers from industry, academics, and consultants.

If you are a member of the EPD Council, click here to visit the EPD Council pages.

Meet the EPD Chair

Elsa Olivetti

Welcome Message

View Biography

Contact the Chair

Get Involved

You can contribute to the work of the TMS Extraction & Processing Division by joining a TMS technical committee. Begin by selecting the EPD committee that best aligns with your professional interests, then visit the committee website page and click on the Committee Roster link to find the contact information of the committee chair who can assist you with additional information. If you are a TMS member, you may also attend a technical committee meeting in person at the TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition and apply for membership at that time.

As a technical committee member, you can become further involved in developing technical programming, publications content and professional development events. You can also get involved by nominating a candidate for an EPD award, which recognizes excellence within the EPD's scope of activities. For a complete listing of ways to get involved with TMS, visit the Volunteer Opportunities section of the website.

Leadership Opportunities

TMS Technical Divisions provide members with additional leadership opportunities at the division council level. Learn more about leadership openings including the Technical Division Chair position, which includes three years serving as vice chair of the division and three years serving as chair (a TMS Board of Directors position). Details on this position are found below. Additional volunteer opportunities are available through various functional committee representative positions, which allow members to represent their division on Society-wide committees like the Program Committee, Membership Diversity & Development Committee, and more. View a job description and summary of expectations for functional committee representatives here.  

Available positions rotate annually and nominations/applications are due December 1 of each year. Technical Division Vice-Chair/Chair nominations require the submission of a Vice Chair Nomination Form. For the EPD, Vice Chair/Chair nominations will be accepted in 2025, 2028, and 2031. To learn more about current available positions, contact Joni Gregg, Technical Divisions Administrator

Technical Division Council Vice Chair Position

Each technical division council is led by a chair, vice chair and past chair (the Executive Committee) who are voting members. Each position holds a three-year term, which begins and ends at the conclusion of the TMS Annual Meeting in the year designated. The chair also represents the division on the TMS Board of Directors. The vice chair acts on behalf of the division chair, to include voting privileges, if they become unable to attend a meeting. The vice chair also assists the division chair by performing duties as assigned and has a non-voting position on the Technical Division Council, which oversees the functions of the division councils.

Primary duties of the chair, which the vice chair supports, is to guide the division technical committees related to organizing meetings, technical programming, professional development courses, JOM article activities and award nominations for society, division, young professional and student awards. Related to the functional committee representation on the council, the chair appoints these positions annually, as they become open due to terms ending.                

Upcoming EPD-Related TMS Meetings

Check back soon.

For More Information

Please visit the Volunteer Resources section of the site. If you cannot find the information you need, please contact the TMS Volunteerism Staff.