This, the 1st International Conference on the Processing of Zinc Ores and Concentrates (Zinc Processing 08), is organised by Minerals Engineering International. Media sponsors are the Gold & Minerals Gazette. Primary zinc production is complicated by the fact that sphalerite is usually associated with economic amounts of lead and copper minerals, and is often contained in a gangue high in pyrite. The complex intergrowths often mean that very fine grinding is required, followed by selective flotation.Some of the most important developments which have taken place in minerals engineering in recent years have involved the treatment of these ores and in the subsequent extraction of zinc from concentrates.The keynote lecture "Towards Zinc Metal at McArthur River" will be given by Noel Warner, Emeritus Professor, University of Birmingham, UK.