CERN experts visited the Estonian production facilities of Neo Performance Materials in Sillamäe and Narva in June to assess high-purity niobium production for potential future accelerator projects.
According to a press release from Neo Performance Materials, the two-day visit focused on the company’s manufacturing and processing capabilities. Representatives from the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and Enterprise Estonia (EIS) also took part.
CERN assesses high-purity niobium production
High-purity niobium is being considered for future CERN projects, including the proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC). CERN describes the FCC as a next-generation particle accelerator planned for a 91-kilometre underground tunnel. The organisation’s current planning anticipates a decision by its member states in 2028, with operations potentially beginning around 2045.
According to Robert Aare, CERN Project Manager at Enterprise Estonia, the visit showed how Estonian industrial companies could contribute to the supply chains of major European scientific research infrastructure projects.
“CERN’s interest in Neo’s manufacturing capabilities is a strong example of how the expertise of Estonian industrial companies can contribute to world-leading scientific projects. Our role is to help establish these connections and support companies in preparing for the next steps,” Aare said.
CERN representatives said they were impressed by Neo’s production capabilities and noted that the company has a significant part of the value chain required to produce the advanced materials under evaluation.
Technical qualification is the next step
The visit began a technical collaboration to evaluate and qualify Neo’s end product against CERN’s specifications. Following the meeting, CERN shared technical specifications, quality requirements and supplier qualification documentation with the company.
“This visit provided an excellent opportunity to better understand Neo Performance Materials’ expertise in producing high-purity niobium and marks an important step towards evaluating and qualifying the material for future CERN projects,” said Claudia Tatiana Santos Maldonado, Materials Engineer at CERN.
“We are pleased to begin this technical collaboration to assess and qualify their end product against CERN’s demanding specifications, supporting the development of future accelerator technologies,” she added.
The next stage will involve testing and qualifying the materials in line with CERN’s requirements. The process will determine whether the products meet the technical and quality standards needed for possible future cooperation.
Estonian facilities support advanced-materials collaboration
Neo Performance Materials’ Silmet facility in Sillamäe produces high-purity rare metals and other advanced materials. The company’s Estonian operations also include production and processing activities in Narva, giving the CERN delegation an opportunity to review capabilities across both facilities.
“We were pleased to welcome the CERN delegation to our facilities in Estonia and showcase our expertise in the production and processing of high-purity niobium,” said Julia Ignatova, Sales Manager at Neo Performance Materials Silmet.
“The visit provided a valuable opportunity to exchange technical knowledge and explore areas of potential cooperation. We look forward to supporting the material qualification process and to further strengthening our collaboration with CERN as its future projects progress,” Ignatova said.
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