Message from the Chair: Thank You for Joining SynOre 2026

Thank You for Joining SynOre 2026.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I would like to thank everyone who participated in and supported SynOre 2026, the Second International Symposium on Iron Ore Agglomerates, in Toyama.
We welcomed more than 90 participants from 12 countries, with 44 presentations comprising five plenary lectures, four keynote lectures, 25 regular oral presentations, and 10 poster presentations. For a symposium dedicated to a specialized field such as iron ore agglomeration, this international participation was especially encouraging.
The scientific program covered a broad range of topics, from raw materials and agglomeration to reduction behavior and future carbon-neutral ironmaking. One important message was that hydrogen-based ironmaking is not simply a matter of replacing carbon monoxide with hydrogen. Raw-material quality, strength, degradation, swelling, clustering, and heat and mass transfer must all be considered. Meanwhile, advances in characterization and numerical modelling are providing new tools to understand these phenomena. Even as ironmaking processes evolve, understanding and controlling the properties of iron ore agglomerates will remain essential.
What made SynOre 2026 particularly rewarding was the depth of the discussions, not only during the scientific sessions but also during coffee breaks, the poster session, and the banquet. Providing a focused forum for such technical exchanges was exactly what we hoped to achieve. I hope these conversations will continue beyond the symposium and lead to new research ideas and collaborations.

I would also like to thank everyone who made the symposium possible. Our professional conference management company provided invaluable support in preparing and running the event, while the staff of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan supported us as the organizers' secretariat. The students from Tohoku University and the University of Toyama helped with session management, guiding participants, and many other practical tasks. My thanks also go to all members of the Organizing Committee for their continued commitment and support.
Looking ahead, I hope to see many of you again in Japan at ICSTI 2027 in Sapporo in June and CUUTE-3 in Nara in October. ICSTI will bring together colleagues from across the ironmaking field, while CUUTE-3 will focus on the ultimate utilization of carbon and its effective and sustainable use in industrial processes.
As for the next SynOre, we have not yet decided whether to organize another meeting. However, we would be very happy to consider it if there is sufficient interest and encouragement from our community. Please let us know whether you would like to see SynOre continue.
Thank you once again for your participation, your contributions, and the many discussions we shared in Toyama. I look forward to staying in touch and meeting you again.