{"id":451,"date":"2024-04-18T21:20:01","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T15:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irtc.woop.local\/?page_id=451"},"modified":"2026-04-20T09:11:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:11:20","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/","title":{"rendered":"Raw Materials for a Sustainable Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:72px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"display-none-mobile\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"n2_clear\"><ss3-force-full-width data-overflow-x=\"body\" data-horizontal-selector=\"\"><div class=\"n2-section-smartslider fitvidsignore  n2_clear\" data-ssid=\"8\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Slider\"><div id=\"n2-ss-8-align\" class=\"n2-ss-align\"><div class=\"n2-padding\"><div id=\"n2-ss-8\" data-creator=\"Smart Slider 3\" data-responsive=\"fullwidth\" class=\"n2-ss-slider n2-ow n2-has-hover n2notransition  \">\n        <div class=\"n2-ss-slider-1 n2_ss__touch_element n2-ow\">\n            <div class=\"n2-ss-slider-2 n2-ow\">\n                                                <div class=\"n2-ss-slider-3 n2-ow\">\n\n                    <div class=\"n2-ss-slide-backgrounds n2-ow-all\"><div class=\"n2-ss-slide-background\" data-public-id=\"1\" data-mode=\"fill\"><div data-gradient=\"horizontal\" data-color-start=\"RGBA(125,147,157,1)\" data-color-end=\"RGBA(242,206,162,1)\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(to right, RGBA(125,147,157,1) 0%,RGBA(242,206,162,1) 100%);\" class=\"n2-ss-slide-background-color\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>                    <div class=\"n2-ss-slider-4 n2-ow\">\n                        <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 1300 500\" data-related-device=\"desktopPortrait\" class=\"n2-ow n2-ss-preserve-size n2-ss-preserve-size--slider n2-ss-slide-limiter\"><\/svg><div data-first=\"1\" data-slide-duration=\"0\" data-id=\"44\" data-slide-public-id=\"1\" data-title=\"Slide 1\" class=\"n2-ss-slide n2-ow  n2-ss-slide-44\"><div role=\"note\" class=\"n2-ss-slide--focus\" tabindex=\"-1\">Slide 1<\/div><div class=\"n2-ss-layers-container n2-ss-slide-limiter n2-ow\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-aeNWXi2u4xo3\" data-sstype=\"slide\" data-pm=\"default\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-19001ef738de1\" data-pm=\"default\" data-sstype=\"content\" data-hasbackground=\"0\"><div class=\"n2-ss-section-main-content n2-ss-layer-with-background n2-ss-layer-content n2-ow n-uc-19001ef738de1-inner\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n2-ss-layer--block n2-ss-has-self-align n-uc-180f0b0bfd71d\" data-pm=\"normal\" data-sstype=\"row\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer-row n2-ss-layer-with-background n-uc-180f0b0bfd71d-inner\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer-row-inner \"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-1ee0db941a48b\" data-pm=\"default\" data-sstype=\"col\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer-col n2-ss-layer-with-background n2-ss-layer-content n-uc-1ee0db941a48b-inner\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-0IaClpIwxfFk\" data-pm=\"normal\" data-sstype=\"layer\"><h2 id=\"n2-ss-8item1\" class=\"n2-font-d81fb14cf010d1f05125ca02c2229b9c-hover   n2-ss-item-content n2-ss-text n2-ow\" style=\"display:block;\">Raw Materials for a Sustainable Future<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-Gnt2ItWgG3Wb\" data-pm=\"normal\" data-sstype=\"layer\"><div class=\"n2-ss-item-content n2-ss-text n2-ow-all\"><div data-hide-desktoplandscape=\"1\" data-hide-desktopportrait=\"1\" data-hide-tabletlandscape=\"1\" data-hide-tabletportrait=\"1\"><p class=\"n2-font-c4d2ce81304aa3c34954426cc2a83b8b-paragraph   \">The ESM Foundation, founded in 1951, is a Swiss non-profit organization dedicated to supporting research and development activities in the field of Rare and Critical Elements, with a focus on their industrial applications.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"\" data-hide-mobilelandscape=\"1\" data-hide-mobileportrait=\"1\"><p class=\"n2-font-c4d2ce81304aa3c34954426cc2a83b8b-paragraph   \">The ESM Foundation (Entwicklungsfonds Seltene Metalle) is a Swiss non-profit organization founded in 1951. We are dedicated to supporting research and development activities in the field of rare and critical raw materials, with a focus on their industrial applications.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-vyxn36cZuX3p n2-ss-layer--auto\" data-pm=\"normal\" data-sstype=\"layer\"><div class=\"n2-ss-button-container n2-ss-item-content n2-ow n2-font-136ab71cbf59fc8c52a47f003c87b8ee-link  n2-ss-nowrap n2-ss-button-container--non-full-width\"><a class=\"n2-style-1a5b74c1a070e82bad8ed3dfd9217329-heading  n2-ow \" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/who-we-are\/\"><div><div>Learn More<\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow n-uc-138923861ae19\" data-pm=\"default\" data-sstype=\"col\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer-col n2-ss-layer-with-background n2-ss-layer-content n-uc-138923861ae19-inner\"><div class=\"n2-ss-layer n2-ow @media (max-width: 767px) {  display: none;  } n-uc-iC0DLqiZXFud\" data-pm=\"normal\" data-sstype=\"layer\"><div class=\" n2-ss-item-image-content n2-ss-item-content n2-ow-all\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"n2-ss-8item4\" alt=\"\" class=\"skip-lazy\" width=\"1300\" height=\"1090\" data-skip-lazy=\"1\" src=\"\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Picture5.svg\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div><ss3-loader><\/ss3-loader><\/div><\/div><div class=\"n2_clear\"><\/div><\/div><\/ss3-force-full-width><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#f2cea2;color:#f2cea2\"\/>\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list is-grid columns-3 aligncenter wp-block-latest-posts\"><li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/16\/conference-sustainable-supply-of-critical-raw-materials-and-components-for-the-future-of-switzerland-as-a-technology-hub\/\" aria-label=\"Conference on May 13: \u201cSustainable supply of critical raw materials and components for the future of Switzerland as a technology hub\u201d\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0aef83c1-ff58-4b39-96cc-1a0eb65b85af-540x326.png\" class=\"attachment-portfolio-half size-portfolio-half wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/16\/conference-sustainable-supply-of-critical-raw-materials-and-components-for-the-future-of-switzerland-as-a-technology-hub\/\">Conference on May 13: \u201cSustainable supply of critical raw materials and components for the future of Switzerland as a technology hub\u201d<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">Date: May 13, 2026 Location: Switzerland Innovation Park Biel\/Bienne, Aarbergerstrasse 46, 2503 Biel\/BienneOrganised by: ESM Foundation, Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW, Switzerland Innovation Park Biel\/Bienne (SIPBB), Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) Supported by: Bern Economic Development Agency Securing a safe and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and components is&#8230; <div class=\"clear\"><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/16\/conference-sustainable-supply-of-critical-raw-materials-and-components-for-the-future-of-switzerland-as-a-technology-hub\/\" class=\"excerpt-read-more\">Read More<\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/05\/our-website-is-now-available-in-french\/\" aria-label=\"Our Website is Now Available in French\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Flag_of_France.svg-540x326.webp\" class=\"attachment-portfolio-half size-portfolio-half wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/05\/our-website-is-now-available-in-french\/\">Our Website is Now Available in French<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">We\u2019re thrilled to announce that the ESM website is now fully available in French! The Rare Metals Foundation is a Swiss Foundation and Switzerland is a small country of many languages \u2013 with French being the second most spoken language after Swiss German. By making our content available in French we hope to make our&#8230; <div class=\"clear\"><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/05\/our-website-is-now-available-in-french\/\" class=\"excerpt-read-more\">Read More<\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/02\/27\/upcoming-presentation-by-the-esm-critical-raw-materials-as-geopolitical-leverage\/\" aria-label=\"Upcoming Presentation by the ESM: &#8220;Critical Raw Materials as Geopolitical Leverage&#8221;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Bild-Rohstoffe-540x326.png\" class=\"attachment-portfolio-half size-portfolio-half wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/02\/27\/upcoming-presentation-by-the-esm-critical-raw-materials-as-geopolitical-leverage\/\">Upcoming Presentation by the ESM: &#8220;Critical Raw Materials as Geopolitical Leverage&#8221;<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">Join the presentation \u201cCritical Raw Materials as Geopolitical Leverage? Security of Supply Between Dependency and Geopolitics\u201d with Alessandra Hool, Managing Director of the ESM Foundation, on May 20, 2026, hosted by the Kaderschule Z\u00fcrich. The presentation will be held in German. Critical raw materials such as rare earths, lithium, and cobalt are essential for the&#8230; <div class=\"clear\"><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/02\/27\/upcoming-presentation-by-the-esm-critical-raw-materials-as-geopolitical-leverage\/\" class=\"excerpt-read-more\">Read More<\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#f2cea2;color:#f2cea2\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center custom-reverse-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"font-size:16px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Conference: \u201cSustainable supply of critical raw materials and components for the future of Switzerland as a technology hub\u201d<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">On 13 May, we will be discussing the strategic importance of critical raw materials in Switzerland with representatives from the political sphere \u2013 Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, Member of the National Council and President of the Basel Chamber of Commerce; Simon Michel, Member of the National Council and CEO of Ypsomed AG; and Gerhard Andrey, Member of the National Council and co-founder of Liip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--cf9cbbff4d741e3ebc2a403f642b33d4\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/2026\/03\/16\/conference-sustainable-supply-of-critical-raw-materials-and-components-for-the-future-of-switzerland-as-a-technology-hub\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1564\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6533\" style=\"width:458px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-1024x626.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-768x469.jpg 768w, https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-1536x938.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Header-Tagung-13.-Mai-mit-Gesichtern-2048x1251.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#f2cea2;color:#f2cea2\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-4 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"font-size:16px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bulb-light-icon.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"c\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;width:336px;height:auto;fill:#feffbe;\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Our Vision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">The ESM Foundation is the leading Swiss network for questions about the responsible industrial use of metals with limited availability that are essential for the transformation to a sustainable society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--b8cf36a5f7afb7a24a7127775554f851\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/who-we-are\/our-vision\/\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#f2cea2;color:#f2cea2\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center custom-reverse-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"font-size:16px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Our Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The foundation initiates, supports and coordinates research and educational projects, organizes events and promotes professional and social discourse on critical metals. The ESM stands for a high standard of scientific quality as well as political and financial independence, made possible by foundation capital that has been managed sustainably since 1951. The foundation works closely with science and industry at home and abroad and is involved in publicly funded projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-3 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--98fe5753b58882a4521fb145b87be930\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/who-we-are\/our-mission\/\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/leaf-environment-care-icon.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3862\" style=\"width:344px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background is-style-wide\" style=\"background-color:#f2cea2;color:#f2cea2\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"timeline-wrapper\">\n    <div class=\"timeline\">\n        <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">1951<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>ESM founded by Gaston F. Dubois<\/h3>\n                <p>to support and conduct research on rare metals for industrial use with first president Dr. O.H.C. Messner.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">1955<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Opening of the Zurich office<\/h3>\n                <p>with Managing Director Eduard Fleissig<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">1962<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Reorientation towards research funding including the promotion of doctorates <br><br>Closure of the Zurich office<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">1989<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Reopening of the ESM office in Pully<\/h3>\n                <p>with Managing Director Dr. Margarethe Hofmann and a new focus on recycling<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">1990<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Inauguration of Chairman Prof. Hans B\u00f6hni<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2004<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Inauguration of Chairman Dr. Bruno Walser<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2012<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Establishment of the Council of Less Common Elements<br><br>Opening of the Board of Trustees to non-Swiss nationals<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2017<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Inauguration of Chairman Dr. Ernst Lutz<br><br>Relocation of the ESM office to Bern with Managing Director Alessandra Hool<br><br>Reorientation towards development<br><br>Management and participation in collaborative projects in Switzerland and abroad<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2017-2022<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Coordination of the training project &#8220;Sustainable Management of Critical Raw Materials&#8221;<\/h3>\n                <p>supported by EIT Raw Materials<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2017-present<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Coordination of the expert network &#8220;International Round Table on Raw Materials Criticality&#8221;<\/h3>\n                <p>supported by EIT Raw Materials<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"timeline-item\">\n            <div class=\"timeline-date\">2023-present<\/div>\n            <div class=\"timeline-content\">\n                <h3>Cooperation with Swiss federal offices<\/h3>\n                <p><\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <!-- Add more timeline items as needed -->\n    <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>After the Second World War, Gaston F. Dubois (Swiss chemist and former Monsanto manager in the USA) was concerned with Switzerland\u2019s supply of materials from abroad. On December 15, 1951, he&nbsp;established the&nbsp;<em>\u201cEntwicklungsfonds Seltene Metalle, ESM\u201d&nbsp;<\/em>in Zurich with himself,&nbsp;Prof. E. Baumann (ETH Zurich), and Dr. O. Zipfel (Federal Council Delegate for Job Creation), as first Board members, and&nbsp;Dr. O.H. Messner (industry consultant) as first President of the Board of Trustees. Based on its bylaws written more than 60 years ago, the foundation aims to support and conduct research and investigations in the field of rare metals with respect to&nbsp;their industrial use. Since then, the ESM foundation has supported more than 30 research projects in fields where less common elements played a crucial role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When establishing the ESM Foundation, the founding fathers had the ambition&nbsp;to create new industries in the field of \u201crare metals\u201d and through this new work places. By financing research and development it was envisaged to support the exploitation and valorization of such results, creating innovations and marketable products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, we continues the work of our founders, bringing together novel ideas related to rare and critical elements elements and their strategic implication in science and engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--0cbb67e436490579bc402c12ddde90cc\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/who-we-are\/our-story\/\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Conference: \u201cSustainable supply of critical raw materials and components for the future of Switzerland as a technology hub\u201d On 13 May, we will be discussing the strategic importance of critical raw materials in Switzerland with representatives from the political sphere \u2013 Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, Member of the National Council and President of the Basel Chamber of&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/\" class=\"excerpt-read-more\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-451","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/451"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=451"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/451\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6859,"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/451\/revisions\/6859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esmfoundation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}