An expert-led stream of bite-sized workshops and presentations unpacking the complexities of the battery raw materials market and its supply chains, supply and demand dynamics, technology insights, and global trade flows. 4 day all access ticket required to attend these sessions.

A dedicated pre-day stream of workshops and insights focusing on Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) market —the fastest growing sector for Battery Raw Materials (BRM) demand. You must purchase a 4 day all access pass to access these sessions on the pre-day.

– How do the critical battery raw material markets work, key players, who produces, sells, buys and consumes materials – and in which formats? – Main exporting and importing countries and trading flows – Market trends and supply and demand analysis – How the evolution of the EV battery market shapes demand for new prices – The evolution of negotiations: from long-term fixed-priced contracts to shorter contracts with spot price indexation, including the involvement of traders and intermediaries in the market as markets expand with the rise of electric vehicle demand

– How to get started in hedging, including the routes to market and practicalities

– Principles of hedging price risk using exchange-based cash-settled derivatives

– Case studies for managing risk using cobalt and lithium futures

– An overview of EV battery technologies including Lithium-ion and Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries – Sodium-ion batteries – Solid-State batteries – Next-gen batteries: lithium-sulfur (Li-S) – lithium-air (Li-Air) -  lithium metal batteries – Advanced Battery Materials and their role in improving battery performance, stability and safety

– What is currently the winning model for recycling?

– Supply chain insights: agreements with raw materials producers, spot market, tolling fees 

– Technology overview:  Shredding & black mass – Hydrometallurgical process – Pyrometallurgical Process – Solvent Extraction – Direct Cathode Recycling – Battery-to-Battery Recycling 

– Reducing waste and minimizing environmental impacts 

Fastmarkets welcomes all attendees to the drinks reception and the Lithium Supply & Battery Raw Materials Conference 2024 opening ceremony.

An invite only event for senior industry leaders hosted by Fastmarkets 

• Can DLE be successfully implemented on a large scale and cost-competitively?
• What is the market potential? When should DLE material be expected to enter the supply      chain in volume?
• What recovery rates can be achieved?
• Circular economy and how can we extract value from waste products and other      commodities extracted out of the brines?

– Will there be two-tiered pricing for raw materials?

– What is driving prices of lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, manganese and rare earth elements

– How high or low could the BRM prices go?

– Are current prices fair value, or is this a cyclical point? How long is it likely to last?

– What can the previous pricing cycles tell us about the future?

– What would be a sustainable price that everybody would be happy with?

– Insights into jurisdictional premiums

A thought-provoking discourse followed by a Q&A brings together industry experts and thought leaders to explore future scenarios

– If Donald Trump wins, what does this mean for the demand in the US and the rest of the world?

– Would the ICE vehicle bans hold on?

– Would the mining regulations loosen, and more green light be given to new mineral projects?

– Resilient Resource Reserve: How would it work and help incentivize domestic production?

– Clarification of Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) requirements for 45X and 30D tax credits

– What is the future of premiums for the IRA complaint BRM materials?

– Does the IRA help China in Europe?

– Low-Carbon Strategy: Implementation of smart operations and leveraging renewable energy sources

– Circularity Practices: Solid waste recycling initiatives and wastewater recovery process

– Reliable Supply Chain: Achievement of the First RMAP Certification and implementation of upstream due diligence

– EV Battery Recycling Trends: Global supply of EV batteries, market trends and opportunities.

– Fully Integrated Lithium Supply: Exposure from virgin supply, downstream processing, and closed loop recycling.

– LiB Recycling in the context of the global battery regulation frameworks

– Neometals technology solutions: Primobius LiB recycling technology and ELi™ Lithium Chemicals Processing Technology.

– Customer technology ownership to retain critical raw materials, close the loop and decarbonise

– What is the future of NCM?

– LFM/LMFP vs NCM: how will these chemistries evolve in the longer term

– Is LFP/LMFP a global opportunity to overcome NCM constraints?

– How much market share will LMFP take from LFP/NCM

– Will there be regional differences?

– Which is best for Energy Storage?

– How might that impact recycling?

– What are the key factors that make a mining project successful?

– From exploration, development, execution, construction to production: what risks to consider and avoid at

– each of the steps, how secure to secure funding, equipment, supply chains to execute then and start building.

– How to stay competitive, cost-efficient and what technological advancements provide an edge

A deep-dive presentation, followed by a Q&A from the audience

– Why has the market crashed? When, if ever, will the market recover? How will the new technologies impact the demand for future metals?

– Global and regional supply forecast for Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Graphite and Rare Earth Elements

– Where will the battery raw materials supply come from, and in what capacity? An overview of upcoming projects

Listen to different and varied voices on how we build a new world. Which method will deliver us to decarbonization and truly deliver the energy transition goals? One speaker will discuss how mining is the pathway to sustainability and one will be questioning whether we need stop and find an alternative way.  

Description:

– An overview of different DLE technologies and their applicability and challenges with various brines

A thought-provoking discussion, after which the audience will have the opportunity to vote on the perspective, they find most compelling

– Can enough IRA-compliant pCAM & CAM be found?

– How to scale up domestic production cost-effectively?

– Improving efficiency with lower OPEX, using less water/energy, and becoming more environmentally friendly

– Overcoming the sodium sulphate dilemma?

– Machine learning and its role in the future of cathodes

VOLTAS Awards 20024 & Gala Dinner celebrates the pinnacle of the industry, showcasing outstanding achievements and excellence in categories ranging from CEO of the Year and Innovation of the Year to Industry Woman of the Year. From recognizing innovative projects to highlighting sustainability efforts, this evening promises to be inspiring and memorable.

 With the participation of industry leaders, the evening provides an excellent opportunity to forge new connections, celebrate excellence and applaud the remarkable individuals and organizations shaping the future of our industry.

An early morning serene session designed to awaken the senses and invigorate the spirit. 

A morning gathering over breakfast offers a vibrant opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, exchange ideas, and build relationships before diving into the day’s sessions.

– Selected mining, anode, cathode companies and aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of successful investors (“sharks”) in hopes of securing funding and mentorship

– The investors use valuation techniques to debunk or concur with the owner’s valuation and decide whether to grant them funding in return for an ownership stake

– The audience and investors pick a winner

After a multifaceted discussion, the attendees will be invited to vote for the perspective they find most convincing

– Is the future EV, hybrid or hydrogen? Has this been decided?

– How are the OEMs rethinking future strategy; how will they stay competitive?

– How can we accelerate the adoption of EVs worldwide and avoid pitfalls?

– What is the state of infrastructure, and how is that holding us back?

– Will intermediate hybrids last longer while the infrastructure is being built?

– Reliable, fast charging – is that something that the commercial or government should be handling? What we think is the sustainable number for charging points?

– Québec’s leadership as a top-tier mine development jurisdiction – databases for resource exploration and market opportunities 

– Resource potential to develop a crucial battery hub in North America

– Initiatives for the battery component processing industry

A thought-provoking discourse followed by a Q&A brings together investors to explore future scenarios

– In the long run, will lithium be a winning game?

– How could price volatility impact investment decisions and deter investors from committing to long-term localised supply chain projects?

– Wining part of the supply chain to invest in? Is it Upstream or downstream? Where is the best long-term bet? What are the winning projects going to be?

– What does the high-interest rate environment mean for liquidity?

– Lithium Triangle and near-term developments outlook for Chile, Argentina and Bolivia

– Brazil and projects coming online in the next decade: with a deficit expected by mid-decade, what lithium explorers/developers will be coming online in the short term to meet this demand?

– Governments’ initiation to accelerate the development of strategic mineral projects 

– Timelines to production in various jurisdictions in South America and what companies will be able to feed raw materials to the global supply chain

A stimulating discussion, after which the attendees will be invited to cast their vote for the perspective they find most convincing.

– How hard is it? How expensive is it?

– What are the roadmaps for running a profitable hydrometallurgical refinement facility?

– What are the prospects for end-of-life batteries in terms of time and volume?

– Access to feedstock, capital and improving operational efficiency

– How long will it take to achieve operational efficiency that could be achieved on a smaller scale?

– What are the ways for a recycling company to be profitable whilst overcoming the temporary challenge of access to feedstock?

– How is black mass moving around the world

– How is the IRA impacting recycling?

• LMFP and high manganese batteries; what is the outlook for manganese?
• An overview of the manganese supply chain and refining capacity
• Insights into current demand, the gap between the demand and the supply and the expected growth with OEMs adopting manganese-rich cathode materials
• From the ore to the final product high purity manganese sulphate – technology overview
• Pathways for high-purity manganese sulphate currently coming out of China

A deep dive into the fascinating realm of energy storage, exploring the rivalry between Sodium-ion and Lithium-ion technologies.

– Does sodium-ion have a place given fall in lithium prices?

– What are the opportunities and benefits of sodium-ion batteries?

– Will it change the calculus for everybody?

– How large will it be its market share?

– What to do and what to consider building a lithium refinery in the current market

– Value engineering and cost-saving methods for future lithium refineries

– Plans for the coming future

– Insights into an integral process step in producing lithium-based powders from liquid feed formulations. 

– Enabling uniform particle size distribution for post-processing into battery materials

– The atomization system technology for producing quality spray dried powders: air bearing driven rotary atomizer and Air Assisted Pressure Nozzle (AAPN). 

– 10,000 – 50,00 TPY of production, including energy integration for heat recovery

– Delivering future orientated lithium conversion plant

– Lithium salt pyrometallurgical treatment process & technology

– Key indicator for lithium salt

– Supply chain management, manufacturing supervision, project delivery and onsite management

A deep dive into the latest advancements in battery technology followed by a Q&A

– An overview of the next-gen technologies, including solid state, lithium sulphur, silicon anodes and anode-free batteries

– Is lithium still worth focusing on, or can other metals disrupt lithium’s position as a critical material? If Solid State is winning, do we need all that refining?

– Hydrogen and future potential

– How long will it take for the US to build a self-reliant anode supply chain?

– How far in the process are we, and how scalable is the building of the anode supply ecosystem?

– To what extent silicon could replace graphite?

– Is the US betting more on alternative anode technology with funding the same number of silicon projects versus graphite?

– Will we see a bigger difference in pricing in the US, Europe and China

– Will the increasing competition with China put further pressure on prices?

An engaging dialogue on shaping the future of talent in the EV battery sector

– Solving the skills gap by diversifying not just the cathode but also the workforce  

– The growing role of women and diverse representation coming from different sectors to bring in new ideas

– How can mining attract new talent? How can it promote itself as vital for the future?

A dynamic and fast-paced session featuring PechaKucha-style presentations, followed by an interactive Q&A segment. A whirlwind of concise and engaging presentations on diverse topics, each accompanied by 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each.

– An overview of regional developments, supply and demand, economic growth and technological advancements

– Is the West missing out on investment opportunities in Africa?

– What is the true inventory capacity in China?

– What are the latest developments in Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia?

– Why has Quebec decided to invest so heavily to create the entire battery infrastructure?

– Will China export its way out of that overcapacity?

– How does the Indonesian nickel fit into the IRA

A thought-provoking discourse brings together industry experts and thought leaders to explore future scenarios while actively encouraging audience participation

– The Future of battery laws in the EV-producing countries

– European Critical Raw Materials Act and future economic incentives: What will the EU do to compete with the IRA?

– Geopolitical risks and nationalization in Mexico and Chile – are other countries moving in that direction? What does Milei’s presidency mean to the future of Argentina’s lithium?

– The future of critical mineral policy in Canada and Australia

A deep dive into the latest advancements in deep sea mining technology and opportunities followed by a Q&A

– What is deep-sea mining, and how is it connected to the future of electrification?

– Can deep-sea mining be a viable alternative to the often problematic extraction of critical battery raw materials on land?

– What is the environmental impact of extracting resources from the ocean floor?

– When could we see harvesting those materials at an industrial scale?