Highlights Of The Program

2 days business program:

Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.

SHOWCASING INNOVATION:

Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.

leaders talk:

Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.

MULTIPLE STREAMS:

A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.

SMART TECHNOLOGIES:

Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.

roundtable discussion:

Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.

Program 2026

DAY 1 :

MONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER, 2026

08:00 - 08:50

REGISTRATION & MORNING REFRESHMENTS

08:50 - 09:00

OPENING ADDRESS

09:00 - 09:25

WHERE ARE THE EUROPEANS? GERMAN STARTUP EXPLORING ARGENTINA BRINE

Micha Zauner

Deutsche E-Metalle AG

Emphasizing the need for European entrepreneurship to strengthen supply chain independence in global lithium markets
Presenting an integrated non-Chinese lithium supply chain from exploration to processing, supported by German initiatives
Deploying advanced technologies to enable real-time resource characterisation and efficient lithium extraction and conversion
Improving project viability by reducing costs, energy use, and processing complexity across diverse brine environments

09:25 - 09:30

Q&A SESSION ON EUROPEAN STRATEGY FOR GLOBAL LITHIUM SUPPLY CHAINS

09:30 - 09:55

DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION: TAILORED TECHNOLOGIES FOR HIGHER YIELD AND PURITY

Jaco Bester

DuPont

Outlining integrated DLE process pathways combining sorbents, ion exchange, and membrane technologies
Detailing divalent ion removal approaches supporting consistent high-purity lithium product output
Applying efficient dewatering steps enabling higher lithium concentration and improved sorbent productivity
Leveraging sequencing and data-backed design insights to reduce complexity and accelerate commercialisation

09:55 - 10:00

Q&A SESSION ON IMPROVING DLE YIELD, PURITY, AND COMMERCIAL READINESS

10:00 - 10:25

CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS' POTENTIAL OF THE HEZ ENERGY MORALI GPP 1 GEOTHERMAL FIELD: THE CASE OF LITHIUM

Osman Şen

HEZ Enerji

Conducting field-scale pilot studies, evaluating lithium recovery potential from geothermal fluids
Comparing adsorption and enrichment methods, assessing performance across different process configurations
Implementing continuous-flow systems, integrating lithium recovery within reinjection-line operations
Enhancing lithium concentration through multi-stage enrichment, optimising performance using field data insights

10:25 - 10:30

Q&A SESSION ON GEOTHERMAL LITHIUM RECOVERY AND PROCESS OPTIMISATION

10:30 - 11:00

MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN EXHIBITION AREA

11:00 - 11:30

PANEL DISCUSSION ON DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION

11:30 - 11:55

SCALING DLE IN EUROPE: FROM TECHNOLOGY PROMISE TO SUPPLY CHAIN REALITY

Salvatore Pinizzotto

Xida Communications

Addressing system-level challenges, aligning energy, water, reagents, and logistics for scalable DLE deployment
Identifying hidden bottlenecks, understanding barriers that delay the transition from pilot to commercial operations
Integrating sustainability and circularity, strengthening project design for long-term resilience and credibility
Embedding community engagement, supporting financeability, and acceptance of large-scale lithium supply projects

11:55 - 12:00

Q&A SESSION ON EUROPEAN LITHIUM PROJECT RISKS AND READINESS

12:00 - 12:25

MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY IN LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND WATER TREATMENT

Christoph Maurer

OSMO Membrane Systems

Assessing water-intensive lithium extraction and DLE, highlighting membrane roles across processes
Reviewing pre-treatment stages and eluate handling from adsorbers and ion exchange systems
Evaluating process water needs, including boiler feed and chemical applications within operations
Managing wastewater treatment approaches aligned with regulations and operational best practices

12:25 - 12:30

Q&A SESSION ON WATER MANAGEMENT IN LITHIUM EXTRACTION PROCESSES

12:30 - 13:30

NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION EXHIBITION

13:30 - 13:55

LITHIUM EXTRACTION FROM GEOTHERMAL BRINES: A UK CASE STUDY

Stewart Dickson

Weardale Lithium

Focusing on the development of sustainable lithium extraction from geothermal brines to support low-carbon supply chains
Summarising progress on the UK’s largest permitted lithium brine extraction facility and production milestones
Detailing the application of multiple DLE technologies for producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from geothermal waters
Defining the scale-up strategy supported by brownfield regeneration, existing wells, and mineral resource development

13:55 - 14:00

Q&A SESSION ON COMMERCIALISING LITHIUM FROM BRINE RESOURCES

14:00 - 14:25

LINKING ADSORBENT DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS OPTIMISATION IN DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION

Tom Frising

Axens

Providing an overview of adsorption and SMB expertise applied to DLE in salar, geothermal, and oil and gas brines
Evaluating the performance of second-generation DLE adsorbents covering capacity, selectivity, and mechanical strength
Presenting scale-up strategy and pilot plant results proving feasibility, robustness, and readiness for deployment

14:25 - 14:30

Q&A SESSION ON NEXT-GENERATION DLE ADSORPTION SYSTEMS

14:30 - 14:55

ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE ADVANCES IN GEOTHERMAL AND LITHIUM EXTRACTION

Tommaso Ferrari

Turboden

Introducing Turboden and outlining the fundamentals of Organic Rankine Cycle technology
Exploring ORC applications in geothermal projects while considering integration opportunities with DLE
Sharing insights from a case study currently under development and highlighting emerging opportunities

14:55 - 15:00

Q&A SESSION ON ORC TECHNOLOGY IN GEOTHERMAL AND DLE

15:00 - 15:20

AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN EXHIBITION AREA

15:20 - 15:45

CLOSING THE LOOP: ON-SITE ACID AND BASE GENERATION FOR DLE VIA HYDROLYSERS

Steffen Garbe

PHLAIR

Addressing chemical supply challenges in DLE by reducing reliance on transported acids and bases at remote sites
Introducing electrochemical salt splitting, enabling on-site generation of high-purity acid and base streams from brine
Integrating modular hydrolyser technology, transforming DLE into a closed-loop and more sustainable process
Reducing operational costs, emissions, and supply chain risks while supporting scalable and greener lithium production

15:45 - 15:50

Q&A SESSION ON REDUCING COSTS AND RISKS IN DLE OPERATIONS

15:50 - 16:15

OPERATION OF AN ELECTROCHEMICAL ION PUMP FOR THE RECOVERY OF LITHIUM

Paul-Louis Wöhrlin

Fraunhofer ISE

Exploring electrochemical ion pumping enabling selective lithium extraction from complex natural brines
Advancing efficient lithium recovery even at low concentrations within high-salinity matrices
Describing the design and operation of a fully automated test system with stacked electrodes
Assessing the potential of geothermal brines as an economically viable alternative lithium resource

16:15 - 16:20

Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING LITHIUM EXTRACTION USING ELECTROCHEMICAL PUMPING

16:20 - 16:45

ADVANCES IN MATERIALS AND SCALABLE REACTOR DESIGNS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL LITHIUM EXTRACTION

Christian Heubner

Fraunhofer IKTS

Advancing electrochemical lithium extraction using intercalation-based systems for selective recovery
Improving lithium selectivity through tailored host materials operating in complex aqueous environments
Tackling stability and capacity challenges during long-term cycling in high ionic strength conditions
Combining material performance with reactor design to enable scalable and industrially relevant processes

16:45 - 16:50

Q&A SESSION ON MATERIAL PERFORMANCE AND PROCESS SCALE-UP CHALLENGES

16:50 - 17:15

7EX TECHNOLOGIES – LITHIUM PRODUCTION FOR AN ELECTRIFIED FUTURE

Andreas Kuhlmann

Forschungszentrum Jülich

An overview of efforts to commercialise an electrochemical direct lithium extraction process
Looking at the key features of the technology and their potential applications across diverse industries
Current development status alongside future plans for scaling and broader deployment

17:15 - 17:20

Q&A SESSION ON DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGY AND SCALE-UP

17:20 - 18:20

NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION

DAY 2 :

TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2026

08:00 - 08:30

MORNING REFRESHMENTS

08:30 - 08:40

OPENING ADDRESS

08:40 - 09:05

NEXT-PRACTICE LEADERSHIP: SECURING THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAN DLE

Simon Gillibrand

Savannah Group

Analysing the impact of diverse leadership teams on financial performance and shareholder value
Examining the role of inclusive cultures in improving safety outcomes across geothermal operations
Navigating workforce challenges, including retirement risks and critical digital skills gaps
Fostering collaboration between oil and gas leaders and emerging startups advancing DLE innovation

09:05 - 09:10

Q&A SESSION ON FUTURE-READY WORKFORCES FOR LITHIUM EXTRACTION

09:10 - 09:35

DLE’S STRATEGIC ROLE IN EUROPE’S BATTERY SUPPLY CHAIN

Oliver Heathman

Wood Mackenzie

Discussing the strategic drivers behind building a resilient domestic lithium and battery supply chain in Europe
Outlining Europe’s current lithium supply landscape and identifying the range of available sourcing options
Weighing the strengths and weaknesses of European lithium resources while comparing them with the global supply
Highlighting how direct lithium extraction technologies can support Europe’s path towards lithium independence

09:35 - 09:40

Q&A SESSION ON EUROPE’S LITHIUM SUPPLY AND EXTRACTION PATHWAYS

09:40 - 10:05

DELIVERING DLE: THE REALITY OF SCALING FROM CONCEPT TO FULL SCALE

Andrew Walker

Evove

Sharing experience delivering projects across Europe, the UK, and North America
Conducting techno-economic case studies to understand performance, costs, and scalability
Featuring the Evove–Kurita alliance, enabling turnkey solutions for global deployment
Showcasing novel additively manufactured filtration to unlock the produced water potential

10:05 - 10:10

Q&A SESSION ON COMMERCIALISING DLE IN REAL-WORLD PROJECTS

10:10 - 10:30

MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN EXHIBITION AREA

10:30 - 10:55

FROM RESOURCE POTENTIAL TO RESILIENT VALUE CHAINS: THE REALITY OF SCALING DLE IN EUROPE

Michael Strobel

Demonstrating how Europe’s lithium ambitions are challenged by financing, permitting, and scaling barriers
Addressing refining and conversion gaps limiting regional supply chain integration and ESG advantages
Defining demand-side uncertainty and the importance of long-term offtake commitments for project growth
Positioning DLE as a pathway for strengthening resilient and vertically integrated European lithium supply chains

10:55 - 11:00

Q&A SESSION ON ENABLING LITHIUM PROJECT BANKABILITY IN EUROPE

11:00 - 11:25

CLEANER LITHIUM, STRONGER ECONOMICS: CIRCULAR REFINING FROM LiCl TO BATTERY-GRADE LiOH

Luis Santillana

Lithium Ark

Underscoring Europe’s growing need for domestic low-carbon lithium refining to strengthen battery supply chains and energy security
Explaining how circular LiCl to LiOH refining can lower emissions while improving cost competitiveness at an industrial scale
Outlining, through the Green+ Antwerp case study, how low-carbon refining platforms can support the battery transition

11:25 - 11:30

Q&A SESSION ON CIRCULAR LITHIUM REFINING FOR EUROPE’S BATTERY SUPPLY CHAINS

11:30 - 12:00

RESERVED PRESENTATION

12:00 - 12:25

WHO WILL BUY YOUR LITHIUM? EUROPE’S DLE FUTURE THROUGH INDIA AND INDONESIA

Kaustubh Deshpande

iMOTO

Analysing battery technology dominance across supply chains, shaping offtake dynamics globally
Examining specification requirements from Asian OEMs, aligning DLE output with market demand
Mapping buyer expectations across India and Indonesia to define bankable offtake structures
Translating diplomatic momentum into commercial agreements, securing long-term supply pathways

12:25 - 12:30

Q&A SESSION ON SECURING LITHIUM OFFTAKE IN EMERGING MARKETS

12:30 - 13:30

NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION EXHIBITION

13:30 - 14:00

RESERVED PRESENTATION SLOT

14:00 - 14:25

RAMAN CHEMOMETRICS OF PROCESS CONTROL PARAMETERS IN LITHIUM CARBONATE

Liviu Mantescu

Watergenics

Overcoming challenges in measuring real-time concentrations within complex two-phase hot brine systems
Applying in situ Raman chemometric technology for monitoring aqueous and solid components simultaneously
Directly measuring carbonate and lithium carbonate solids as key process control parameters
Enabling continuous data insights to optimise soda ash dosing, improving efficiency and maximising product yield

14:25 - 14:30

Q&A SESSION ON REAL-TIME PROCESS CONTROL AND YIELD ENHANCEMENT

14:30 - 14:55

POSITIONING DLE ON THE COST CURVE: MARKET OUTLOOK AND CAPITAL RISKS

Dominic Wells

Project Blue

Contextualising lithium market dynamics and identifying competitive positions for new DLE projects
Benchmarking DLE asset costs against conventional lithium production across the global cost curve
Quantifying capital risk profiles across DLE projects and the primary cost risks to lithium supply

14:55 - 15:00

Q&A SESSION ON INVESTMENT VIABILITY AND SUPPLY RISKS IN THE DLE SECTOR

15:00 - 15:15

FEEDBACK AND RAFFLE DRAW

15:15 - 15:30

CLOSING REMARKS

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