Applied mineralogy traditionally develops on the basis of the mutual penetration of mineralogy and related disciplines, the rapid development of analytical methods and experiments, as well as practical application in modern industry, agricultural production, medicine, etc. As a result of combining the achievements of mineralogy with other disciplines (mineral processing, physics, chemistry, biology, computational modeling, metallurgy, materials science, the environment), many active interdisciplinary and applied branches of mineralogy, such as nanomineralogy and biomineralogy, were formed. Thus, the applied mineralogy is an important innovative component in the transition from mineralogy to the integrated use of minerals.

International congresses for applied mineralogy are held by the Commission for Applied Mineralogy within the framework of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA-CAM) to coordinate specialists conducting researches in this field. The commission was created in 1979 after the formation of the International Council for Applied Mineralogy (ICAM). In 1993, in the city of Perth (Australia), it was decided that ICAM meetings would be held on a four-year schedule between the organizations of the International Congresses of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). Later, in 2011 in Trondheim (Norway), it was decided to hold congresses every two years.

OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES
15^th ICAM Congress will be held in Chengdu, China in 20-25 August 2023.
14^th ICAM Congress was held in Belgorod, Russia in 23-27 September 2019.
13^th ICAM Congress was held in Bari, Italy in 5-9 June 2017.
12^th ICAM Congress was held in Istanbul, Turkey in 10-12 August 2015.
11^th ICAM Congress was held in Mianyang, China in 5-13 July 2013.
10^th ICAM Congress was held in Trondheim, Norway in 1-5 August 2011.
  9^th ICAM Congress was held in Brisbane, Australia in 8-10 September 2008.
  8^th ICAM Congress was held in Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil in 2004.
  7^th ICAM Congress was held in Göttingen/Hannover, Germany in 2000.
  6^th ICAM Congress was held in Warsaw, Poland in1996.
  5^th ICAM Congress was held in Perth, Australia in 1993.
  4^th ICAM Congress was held in Pretoria, South Africa in 1991.
  3^rd ICAM Congress was held in Montréal, Canada in 1989.
 2^nd ICAM Congress was held in Los Angeles, USA in 1984.
  1^st ICAM Congress was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1981.