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
Day 1 :
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2025
08:00 - 09:00
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:00 - 09:10
OPENING ADDRESS
09:10 - 09:35
REDUCING SUBSURFACE UNCERTAINTY FOR LITHIUM EXTRACTION IN GEOTHERMAL AND OIL AND GAS RESERVOIRS
Robert Gales
Halliburton
- Discussing geologic settings and mineralogy to improve exploration success rates
- Understanding mineral composition and rock quality to enhance drilling and completion design
- Assessing brine chemistry to identify concentrations of critical lithium and associated metals
- Evaluating system connectivity to optimize fluid productivity and re-injection performance
09:35 - 09:40
Q&A SESSION ON TECHNICAL STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE LITHIUM RESOURCE RECOVERY
09:40 - 10:05
BUILDING THE US LITHIUM INDUSTRY: DRIVING REGIONAL HUBS FOR DLE INNOVATION AND DEPLOYMENT
Lucas Couderc-Avignon
Lithium for America
- Highlighting the strategic role of regional hubs in consolidating resources and infrastructure
- Providing a strong framework for research and development and scalable DLE deployment through collaborative hubs
- Clustering activities within hubs to reduce production costs and accelerate timelines
- Presenting case studies from Southern California and the Smackover Basin to illustrate practical impacts
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING DLE INNOVATION ACROSS REGIONAL HUBS
10:10 - 10:35
A 70KTON/Y LCE PLANT: BEST-IN-CLASS DLE PRACTICES
George Gu
Bichemical Technology Ltd.
- Biochemical Technologies' position as a leading provider of lithium extraction technology and services
- Showcasing the development of a 70kton/y LCE plant while demonstrating client-focused solutions
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING DLE STRATEGIES FOR HIGH-CAPACITY LCE OPERATIONS
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
Sponsored By LILAC SOLUTIONS, INC.
11:00 - 11:30
PANEL DISCUSSION ON SUSTAINABLE LITHIUM EXTRACTION: NAVIGATING COMMERCIAL CHALLENGES AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
- California’s role, opportunities, challenges, and key considerations for advancing Direct Lithium Extraction development
- Navigating community advocacy and examining how legal outcomes and DLE’s environmental promise shape negotiations with environmental groups
- Transforming the lithium value chain with DLE commercialization and circular solutions for a resilient, sustainable, closed-loop future
| Baker Institute
| California Energy Commission
| Ellexco Inc.
11:30 - 11:55
DLE IMPURITY REJECTION: THE CRITICAL PATH TO DOWNSTREAM COST OPTIMIZATION
Aaron Poon
ILiAD Technologies
- Enhancing plant efficiency and reducing downstream costs by controlling impurities early in DLE
- Improving selectivity and strengthening project economics by understanding the lithium-to-sodium ratio
- Ensuring battery-grade products by rejecting impurities at the extraction stage with higher lithium purity
- Simplifying downstream design and minimizing overall costs by strengthening impurity management
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON OPTIMIZING IMPURITY REJECTION AND DOWNSTREAM PERFORMANCE
12:00 - 12:25
DRIVING DOWN COSTS AND SIMPLIFYING LITHIUM FLOWSHEETS
David Snydacker
Lilac Solutions, Inc.
- The economic value achieved through the implementation of Lilac IX to maximize returns for lithium producers
- A decade of continuous innovation enhancing technical performance and operational efficiency
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON OPTIMISING LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND PROCESS PERFORMANCE
12:30 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION EXHIBITION
13:30 - 14:00
PANEL DISCUSSION ON FUTURE LITHIUM DEMAND AND MARKET TRENDS: PAVING THE PATH FOR DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION SUCCESS
- DLE innovations for low-lithium brines and integration with recycling and hard-rock processing value chains
- Alternative chemistries and EV policy shifts impacting Salton Sea lithium projects and future demand expectations
- Regulatory frameworks and regional impacts of direct lithium extraction on education, workforce, and economic development
| Bichemical Technology Ltd. | Moderator
| The University of Utah
| Baker Institute
| County of Imperial
14:00 - 14:25
HIGH-SELECTIVITY DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION
Kevin Eberman
3M Company
- Presenting a novel material enabling high-selectivity lithium capture from diverse liquid sources
- Extracting lithium from brines with very low concentrations while minimizing emissions and water use
- Scaling the technology from laboratory innovation to full-scale manufacturing
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON MATERIAL INNOVATION FOR CHALLENGING LITHIUM EXTRACTION ENVIRONMENTS
14:30 - 14:55
QUANTUM COMPUTING FOR DLE: ACCELERATING MATERIALS INNOVATION AND PROCESS OPTIMIZATION
Amir Vahid
Ocean Reviver Inc.
- Exploring the potential of quantum simulations enabling the design of ultra-selective materials for lithium recovery
- Applying quantum algorithms to optimize flow rates, cycle times, and operating parameters
- Combining quantum tools and machine learning for adaptive and cost-effective DLE operations
- Developing next-generation DLE systems driven by quantum-designed materials and processes
14:55 - 15:00
Q&A SESSION ON QUANTUM-ENABLED INNOVATIONS IN LITHIUM EXTRACTION
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:30 - 15:55
COMMERCIAL INNOVATIONS TO OPTIMIZE SOLID LIQUID SEPARATION IN CHALLENGING BRINES
Jay Horowitz
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
- Addressing filtration challenges caused by submicron solids and sticky metal hydroxides in brine streams
- Investigating optimized filtration methods that reduce reliance on clarifiers and process aids
- Drawing lessons from Chlor-Alkali industry advances to handle corrosive, impurity-rich solid streams
- Emphasizing cost benefits from applying Chlor-Alkali separation technologies to lithium production
15:55 - 16:00
Q&A SESSION ON IMPROVING BRINE FILTRATION FOR LITHIUM PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY
16:00 - 16:25
TAILORING THE DOWNSTREAM PROCESS DEVELOPMENT OF DLE FLOWSHEETS
Jack Shannon
Hatch
- Measuring the impact of diverse brine chemistries and DLE technologies on downstream flowsheets
- Evolving Hatch design approaches that are both fit for purpose and best in class
- Tailoring flowsheet strategies to optimize key technical and project-specific variables
- Case study illustrating the practical application of these methods for project success
16:25 - 16:30
Q&A SESSION ON DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR DLE FLOWSHEET OPTIMIZATION
16:30 - 16:55
LITHIUM BRINE PURIFICATION WITH ION EXCHANGE
Cathy Swanson
Ecolab - Purolite Resins
- Outlining strategies to remove boron, fluoride, calcium, and magnesium from lithium brine streams
- Designing optimal conditions and regeneration methods for effective ion exchange processes
- Detailing methods to separate copper, zinc, cobalt, and nickel with real-world application insights
16:55 - 17:00
Q&A SESSION ON LITHIUM BRINE PURIFICATION AND METAL SEPARATION METHODS
17:00 - 18:00
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2 :
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025
08:30 - 09:00
MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:00 - 09:10
OPENING ADDRESS
09:10 - 09:35
A NEW APPROACH TO RECOVERY OF LITHIUM HYDROXIDE FROM PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES
Laurent Cohen
Syensqo
- Examining the impact of proposed Chinese export restrictions on global access to critical battery materials
- Identifying challenges with causticization and crystallization, including low purity and efficiency
- Introducing an integrated solution using solvent extraction and electrochemical technologies for greater sustainability
- Demonstrating gains in recovery yield, cost efficiency, environmental performance, and process simplification
09:35 - 09:40
Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING LITHIUM HYDROXIDE RECOVERY PROCESSES
09:40 - 10:05
BEYOND SIMULATED MOVING BED: cDLE® THE NEXT GENERATION OF LITHIUM EXTRACTION
Peter Voigt
Go2Lithium
- Reviewing the growing need for scalable and sustainable direct lithium extraction technologies
- Describing how cDLE® technology improves lithium recovery while reducing water, chemical, and energy use
- Performance data on lithium recovery, reagent consumption, OPEX, and lifecycle emissions
- Integration approaches for existing brine operations and assessing commercial deployment potential
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON NEXT GENERATION LITHIUM EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGIES
10:10 - 10:35
AVONLEA: COST-EFFECTIVE CRITICAL MINERAL EXTRACTION
Douglas Brett
Avonlea Environmental Technologies
- Focussing on efficient lithium extraction methods while capturing valuable byproducts to enhance project economics
- Sharing insights on modular and scalable process designs that enable cost‑effective and adaptable plant development
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CRITICAL MINERAL EXTRACTION
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:25
THE STATE OF DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION IN THE USA: KEY TECHNICAL AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
Roberta Russell
GSI Environmental Inc.
- Current landscape and prospects for Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) across the United States
- Regulatory updates and applicable frameworks influencing DLE development
- Looking at key technical hurdles and discussing strategies to support commercial deployment
11:25 - 11:30
Q&A SESSION ON OVERCOMING TECHNICAL AND POLICY HURDLES IN DLE
11:30 - 11:55
ADVANCED MATERIALS AND INNOVATIVE PROCESSES FOR DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION FROM PRODUCED WATER
Wencai Zhang
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Introducing a novel process designed to extract critical minerals directly from produced water
- New adsorbent materials for improving lithium selectivity and extraction efficiency
- Showcasing a high-performance extractant with superior separation factors for lithium recovery
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON MATERIAL INNOVATION AND CHEMISTRY FOR PRODUCED WATER-BASED LITHIUM RECOVERY
12:00 - 12:25
RAPID, PRECISE, AND CONSUMABLE FREE MULTI-ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF LITHIUM, BORON, AND SODIUM
Pablo Prado
Turbospec LLC
- An innovative elemental analyzer using proprietary miniaturized NMR technology for chemical applications in mining
- Reducing or eliminating sample preparation while delivering accurate, repeatable, and consumables-free analysis
- Implementing real-time elemental analysis across diverse mining processes through both benchtop and online configurations
- New improvements, lowering detection and quantification limits, and advancing direct extraction applications
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON MULTI-ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS WITH NMR TECHNOLOGY
12:30 - 12:55
COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITIES IN DLE OPERATIONS: THE CASE OF "LITHIUM VALLEY," SALTON SEA REGION, CALIFORNIA
Chris Benner
University of California, Santa Cruz
- Framing Lithium Valley as a model for clean, community-centered lithium development
- Highlighting perspectives and concerns of local agricultural communities in the Salton Sea region
- Developing strategies for inclusive collaboration among public, private, and community stakeholders
- Summarizing transferable lessons for building trust and equity in other emerging DLE regions
12:55 - 13:00
Q&A SESSION ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MODELS IN DLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
13:00 - 13:15
FEEDBACK & RAFFLE DRAW
13:15 - 14:30
NETWORKING LUNCH
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