This in-person talk is available to Basingstoke Science subscribers.

**ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.**
**Bookings will open 4 September**
​
**Please click [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1466167950809?aff=oddtdtcreator) to reserve your place.**

Romsey Café Sci is taking its summer break and we would like to thank all our fantastic supporters for their ​enthusiasm and interest over the past year. We look forward to seeing you in the Autumn

Our next Café will be on **Thursday September 25th 2025**.

**DETAILS​**
**Subject:** "Rare earths - Facts and myths "
​**Speaker:** Phil Weaver
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**Venue:** Royal British Legion, Love Lane, Romsey.
Doors open 19.00, talk starts 19.30
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We ask for a **donation of £5 per head (cash at the door please)** to cover room hire and refreshments.

Bob Clifford

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#### **Prof. Phil Weaver is an Associate Consultant with Seascape Consultants.**

**Phil Weaver** trained as a geologist and completed a PhD in micropalaeontology in 1978.  He joined the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences in the UK in 1980 and transferred with them to the [National Oceanography Centre](http://www.noc.ac.uk/ "NOC") (NOC) in Southampton in 1995.  Phil was Director of the NERC Strategic Research Division at NOC from 2006 – 2010, after which he set up Seascape Consultants Ltd. Through most of his career he has been involved in studies of sedimentary processes in the deep ocean, and has conducted many investigations around the world into sediment stability on continental margins, including numerous site and pipeline investigations for the hydrocarbon industry.

Phil was the scientific coordinator of the highly successful FP6 [HERMES project](http://www.eu-hermes.net/ "HERMES project") (2005-2009) and its FP7 successor, the [HERMIONE project](http://www.eu-hermione.net/ "HERMIONE project") (2009-2012). These two projects led him to develop a strong interest in sustainable management of the deep sea, and led to a role coordinating the [MIDAS project](http://www.eu-midas.net/) (2013-2016) that investigated the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. This programme brought together a group of scientists, legal experts, policy makers and industrial partners to understand the potential scale of the environmental issues, and resulted in a number of recommendations to aid the development of regulations for this new industry. Phil continued his work on deep-sea mining impact studies through the [Blue Nodules project](http://www.blue-nodules.eu/) and the EIT-funded [Blue Harvesting project](https://blueharvesting-project.eu/), and later coordinated an EU-funded initiative working in partnership with the International Seabed Authority to assist them in developing a regional environmental management plan for sulphide mining in the Atlantic. Phil retired from Seascape in December 2021, but remains a close collaborator.

Romsey Cafe Sci: "Rare earths - Facts and myths"

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