The Fourth International Symposium on Trace Element Metabolism in Man and Animals (TE~1A-4), was held in the Sheraton Hotel, Perth, Western Australia from May 11 to 15, 1981. One of the aims of TEMA-l, which was held in Aberdeen in 1969, had been to promote a meeting at which involved scientists from a variety of disciplines would be given the opportunity to present and discuss recent research findings. It was our intention to maintain this aim. We also intended to continue the initiative taken at TEMA-3, held in Freising-Weihenstephan in 1977, which was to encourage participation by our colleagues in human medicine. We feel that a pleasing degree of success was achieved for both these aims. The decision to hold TEMA-4 in Perth was made at the TEMA-3 meeting in 1977. The International Guiding Committee wished to acknowledge the significant body of work on trace element metabolism and disorders that had been undertaken in Australia.