Lithium is an essential element in the global energy transition. It's critically important to stakeholders that it is mined in a sustainable and equitable way. Besides an update on SQM's progress on its Sustainable Development Plan, SQM's Innovation Roadmap toward water-neutral lithium production will be presented. Additionally, global lithium demand and SQM's expansion plan will be updated.

This presentation will address lithium-ion battery supply chain dynamics: challenges & opportunities as well as raw material bottlenecks; lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, and financing the EV supply chain; capital requirements to meet the EV demand of the coming decade.

Decarbonization and electrification of transportation, spurred by government support, is driving an array of evolving battery chemistries, unprecedented demand for battery metals, and a surging supply response. The resulting market dynamics are complex and rapidly shifting. Taylor will explore these themes and CRU’s outlook for supply, demand, and price evolution—highlighting lithium, nickel, and cobalt, and detailing supply chain interdependencies and competition, as well as considerations for critical minerals.

The security of lithium supply and stability in the cost of lithium are paramount for refiners, battery makers and automakers. Geopolitics have also influenced investment decisions, with policy makers increasingly shaping where the material should come from, who can invest and what they should be investing in. Framed upon our price outlook for lithium, this presentation will look at key trends in lithium capital spending and deal-making, shifts in supply geographies, and technical innovations that have come about to develop a lithium supply chain that meets interests of different markets.

The lack of a cohesive plan to secure the necessary battery material supply chains will present numerous challenges for the many planned gigafactories to be built over the next 5 years. This presentation will demonstrate that re-shoring battery grade raw material production will only solve part of the problem, and there is a need to increase recycling capacity, as well as enter into trade agreements with resource rich countries.

Amidst an electrifying revolution, the global demand for lithium is soaring due to its role in manufacturing EV batteries. Yet, traditional lithium mining methods present significant drawbacks – consuming extensive time, land, and freshwater while producing a low yield and placing undue stress on surrounding communities and ecosystems. By embracing innovative and sustainable Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technologies, we can deliver the greenest lithium to the market at an unprecedented pace.

Umicore is a global leader in the battery cathode materials manufacturing space, with over 20 years of experience and expertise in development of specialized products using innovative processes, driven primarily by customer demand. This presentation will provide an overview of recent updates on localization of production in North America and toolkit used by CAM manufacturers to obtain best performance in the cathode product.

What should the market expect in terms of a supply response from battery raw material producers? What is the outlook for supply, demand, and prices in these complicated and fast-moving markets? The talk will look at recent developments in battery raw materials, the impact it has had on the supply chain, and the underlying trends in lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

Outlook on demand-supply balance for Li, Ni, Co, Mn, and graphite; alternative feedstock and processing routes; comparing costs and CO2 emission; strategies to secure critically raw materials adopted by major players; framework for holistic evaluation of raw material strategies.

The exponential increase in electric vehicle sales in the last ten years has put increasing pressure on limited supplies of cobalt and lithium. To facilitate access to these commodities, many manufacturers have established close working relationships with suppliers. Cathode evolution will not relieve the stress on critical material supplies, the industry also works on recycling high-value materials from end-of-life batteries which can help secure sustainable sources of cheaper, yet environmentally-friendly materials. Adoption of effective recycling methods such as hydrometallurgical means, can partly but not fully offset the gap between demands and supplies in many regions around the world.

This talk will cover key aspects of battery raw materials industry. This presentation aims to highlight the current state of the refining industry, examining the technological advancements in refining processes, sourcing strategies, market dynamics, and the pressing issue of sustainability.

Stora Enso is a Northern Europe based biomaterial company, operating in 50 countries and turning over around 12 billion EUR. Stora Enso is piloting tree-based anode material, Lignode, for battery cells. With Lignode, it will be possible to have a local supply chain, and also reduce the CO2-footprint of the battery.

With the projected forecast that about 40% of sale of new vehicle to be electric by 2030, 4-5 times more lithium-ion batteries (LIB) and their materials would be needed. The major concerns in the US are access to raw material resources and the associated supply chain with the strategy to not depend on imports from competitive or politically undesirable countries. In partnership with NAATBatt, NREL has developed the North American Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Database which is a detailed directory of North American companies including mining, and raw and battery-grade material production, electrode/cell/pack manufacturing, and recycling. The latest version was released in June 2023. In this presentation, we will introduce the latest progress in the Database and focus on mining and raw materials production companies. Our databased has identified more than 34 companies working in raw materials segment in 65 facilities. These reflect more than 50% increase compared to August 2022 indicated a relatively good growth in the North America in these areas and expected to be continued in the next 10 years.

Achieving global net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will see an incredible shift across all industries—most powered by the metals & mining sector. Looking at road transport electrification alone, the challenges are monumental. This presentation quantifies the impact on battery raw materials markets in a net zero pathway from the surge in battery demand. Are there any mechanisms to ease pressures on mining sector?