Image: Steve McQueen, 'Gravesend' (2007), film still, courtesy the artist, Thomas Dane Gallery and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, Paris and London

Frances Wall, Professor of Applied Mineralogy at Camborne School of Mines, will discuss the geology and science of coltan, an essential component of the smartphone. In Steve McQueen’s film Gravesend (2007) we see this material being extracted with picks and bare hands in the Congo. Frances Wall will discuss what we can do as consumers to ensure the responsible sourcing and supply of the raw materials that support our technologically driven way of life.

Gravesend is presented for Groundwork in a specially constructed black box projection space at CAST until Sunday 3 June, open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Admission to the exhibition is free. The film runs for 18 minutes, looped.

This talk is free to attend and will take place in CAST Café. The café will be open for evening meals after the talk, to book a table please email: [email protected]

Saturday 12 May 2018 5pm Free admission, no booking required