Fastmarkets' first Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Conference was held in 2009 in Santiago, Chile, emerging amid the financial crisis and providing vital insights into the booming lithium market.
Now in its 16th year, the event has consistently attracted influential figures from the battery raw materials industry, offering excellent networking opportunities while maintaining a global perspective.
Held in cities such as Toronto, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Montreal and Las Vegas, the conference has evolved to enhance the delegate experience, featuring visits to mines and lithium facilities, along with roundtable discussions, masterclasses, Q&As and other formats, allowing attendees to gain insights in various ways.
The Investing News Network (INN) spoke with the Fastmarkets team about the upcoming conference, which will run from June 24 to 27 in Las Vegas, and what participants can expect this year.
INN: How many participants attended last year, and how many are expected this year?
Fastmarkets Team (FMT): Over 1,100 attended in 2023, and this year we’re expecting closer to 1,300 across all areas of the lithium and battery raw materials supply chain — from downstream exploration and mining companies through to mid and upstream battery production, automotive firms, gigafactories and utility and power grid operators.
We also have growing interest from the finance and investment community, with attendance from BMO Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), Nomura (NYSE:NMR,TSE:8604), Rothschild Canada and Scotiabank, amongst others — showing an increase in this particular segment from last year.
INN: What can attendees expect this year?
FMT: Conference goers can expect a thoroughly vetted experience featuring:
- Multiple content streams, including BRM Market Fundamentals and Energy Storage Summit workshops, the BRM Innovation stage and debates and keynotes on the main stage. There will also be high-profile networking events, with a CEO breakfast, speakers’ dinner, investor breakfast, the Voltas Awards and the Inclusivity Forum.
- Some of the speaker highlights include: Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes (deputy director for critical minerals at the Department of Energy) Steven Feldgus (Department of the Interior), Eric Norris (Albemarle (NYSE:ALB)), Dale Henderson (Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS,OTC Pink:PILBF), Simon Thibault (General Motors (NYSE:GM)), Patrick Howarth (ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM)), Didi Kazadi (Ford (NYSE:F)) and JB Straubel (Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and co-founder and CEO of Redwood Materials).
- More than 1,000 delegates from across the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain, including mining, exploration, cathode/anode/battery makers, OEMs, policymakers, investors and recycling companies.
INN: What are the key themes this year’s conference will cover?
FMT: Some of the themes at this year’s event include:
- Supply and demand dynamics
- Pricing outlooks
- EV and energy storage system battery demand forecast
- The Inflation Reduction Act and the 2024 US election: Regional and global implications
- EV battery supply chain vertical integration
- Sustainability and recycling — and the latest innovations in direct lithium extraction and battery recycling
- Indigenous communities, and mining and sourcing transparency
- Cathodes, anodes and battery innovation — and the long-term outlook for alternative chemistries, such as anode-free batteries, sodium-ion, solid state and hydrogen
- Extraction, processing and refining technologies
- Funding and investment, including 1-2-1 meetings, an investor connect breakfast, BRM Shark Tank (funding pitch battle), investor view panel and a fire camp session focusing on routes to funding
INN: The agenda also lists several investor-focused presentations and speakers. Why was it important to also cover these topics?
FMT: The aim was to create a discussion platform for both investors and mining/cathode/anode/recycling businesses — and to unravel the complexities of EV battery supply chains, including investment risks and opportunities.
Our audience is interested in hearing how the investor community perceives the sector in the context of short- and long-term demand outlooks, geopolitical shifts, US 2024 elections, overcapacity in China and the ambition to create domestic, vertically integrated supply chains. Investors find our content useful as it cuts through the noise and provides a data-driven, transparent outlook on the market to help drive their investment decisions.
Finally, we wanted to create opportunities for companies looking for funding and offtake partners, as our conference is one of the primary events for making long-term partnerships, joint ventures and deals.
INN: What does Fastmarkets hope attendees will take away from the conference?
FMT: Attendees will leave Las Vegas with the most up-to-date understanding of the battery raw materials industry possible, having heard leading figures’ perspectives and expert analysis.
This will include invaluable insights into the technology and practices that will shape the sector for years to come, as well as the opportunities and threats on the horizon. This kind of industry intelligence will inform their business plans, influence their decisions, and give them a competitive edge over rivals.
Delegates will also gain a new appreciation of issues for various stakeholders across the supply chain — and across the world. Plus, there’s no better place for them to form new connections and strengthen existing ones.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
