DLE Implementation and Commercialisation

Event Day One, 25th March

Day 1 Morning:

08:00 - 08:55

(55 mins)

Registration & Morning Coffee
08:55 - 09:00

(5 mins)

Opening Remarks by the Organiser and Event Chairman
09:00 - 9:30

(30 mins)

Unlocking the Full Potential of DLE: From R&D to Commercial Deployment - Trace the innovation pipeline from laboratory breakthroughs to real-world implementation, addressing barriers to scale and commercialisation.
9:30 - 10:00

Aligning DLE Innovation with EU Strategic Raw Materials Goals: Case study of an emerging European player in the Lithium Triangle

Dr Micha Zauner, CEO, Deutsche E - Metalle AG
10:00 - 10:30

(30 mins)

Accelerating Permitting & Regulatory Approval for Lithium Projects in the Europe - Existing permitting pathways, key stakeholder concerns, and how policy harmonisation could speed up responsible project development.
10:30 - 11:00

Morning Networking Tea Break
11:00 - 11:30

Engineering and Scale-Up Considerations: Lessons from modular and hybrid DLE systems for industrial deployment

Mervyn Stevens, Vice President - Battery Mineral & Materials, Worley
11:30 - 12:00

(30 mins)

Integrating DLE into Geothermal and Oilfield Brine Projects - Synergies, co-location benefits, and engineering challenges of coupling DLE with geothermal and oilfield operations.
12:00 - 12:30

30 mins

Beyond Borders: Building Competitive Lithium Markets for the Energy Transition

Dr Frank Jackel, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Metalshub

Luncheon & Networking

Day 1 Afternoon:

13:30 - 14:00

(30 mins)

Scaling DLE from Chile

Nick Baxter, Head of Communications and ESG, Cleantech Lithium
14:00 - 14:30

AI & Automation for Real-Time Monitoring and Process Optimization in DLE - How digital tools, sensors, and predictive algorithms are transforming process control and plant performance.

SIEMENS
14:30 - 15:00

Hybrid DLE Systems: Combining Technologies to Maximise Recovery & Efficiency - Benefits and trade-offs of integrated DLE systems combining ion exchange, membranes, and solvent extraction.
15:00 - 15:30

Lithium Production from DLE Feed: Advances in Process Design, Engineering, and Technology

Petri Taipale, Senior Sales Manager Hydrometallurgy (Lithium), Metso Finland Oy
15:30 - 16:00

Afternoon Networking Tea Break
16:00 - 16:30

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Lithium Projects: From Resource to Refined Product

Dr Robert Pell, Founder & CEO, Minviro
16:30 - 17:00

Engineering for Scale: Key Considerations from Pilot to Commercial Scale-Up
17:00 - 17:40

Panel Discussion: Scaling DLE in Europe – What Will It Take? The interconnected challenges in regulation, infrastructure, investment, and supply chain readiness needed to scale DLE across Europe. Expect frank insights from developers, policymakers, OEMs, and capital providers.
17:45

Day2 Closing Remarks