R&D Symposium 2
Global Battery Raw Materials Symposium
Balancing Supply, Demand & Costs for Battery Component Materials
29 - 30 January 2018 | Congress Centrum Mainz | Mainz, Germany
Understanding the complexities of the global supply chain for battery component materials is critical to the successful commercialization of EV applications. An examination of the drivers of end user demand with a focus on major new projects in the pipeline
and how that demand will evolve over the near and long term will be presented. This symposium will cover the global markets from multiple angles including advances in mining and processing with an emphasis on sourcing and cost control strategies by
manufacturers with an outlook on the forecasted consumption trends for China, Japan, Korea, Europe and the United States. Don’t miss your opportunity to network with the major players within the global battery supply chain.
Final Agenda
Monday, 29 January
8:30 Symposium Registration and Morning Coffee
10:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Simon Moores, Managing Director, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
10:05 Focus on Innovation to Lead a Rapidly Growing Technology Based Industry of LiB
Marina Yakovleva, Global Commercial Manager for New Product and Technology Development, FMC Corporation
This presentation will focus on the lithium industry outlook, FMC’s product portfolio and technology Roadmap for high energy density technologies as well as lithium’s future for beyond lithium ion applications.
10:25 Integrated Strategies Towards Reduction of Critical Metals in Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries
Hartmann Leube, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, BASF
Today, nickel and cobalt play an important role in typical current LIB cathode materials. Both metals contribute strongly to the electrochemical performance of cathode materials. This talk will present recent advances of BASF R&D in the development
of both, low-Cobalt and low-Nickel cathode materials. This includes discussion of progress achieved by means of enabling electrolyte systems bringing these novel materials closer to commercialization.
10:45 Advanced Batteries – The Supply Chain Begins in Western Australia
John Atkins, Agent General, Government of Western Australia
Western Australia contains some of the world’s largest hard rock deposits of lithium, including the world’s largest in the Greenbushes’ spodumene deposit and is also home to significant deposits of other battery materials such as
nickel, rare earth elements and graphite. We would welcome closer, more direct investment and involvement in Western Australia by the European and North American battery sector, including battery production, to enable us to offer ourselves as
an alternative route-to-market for the industry.
11:05 Networking Coffee Break with Poster Viewing
11:35 Dawn of the Lithium Ion Battery Megafactories: Real Raw Material Concerns
Simon Moores, Managing Director, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
This presentation will cover the dawn of megafactories: lithium ion cell production capacity in the pipeline. In addition, the auto sector demand versus real expected cell capacity and falling behind: battery grade lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel
supply in the pipeline. Finally, benchmark’s Lithium Price Assessments: high prices remain will be covered.
11:55 Resource Rich, Planning Poor: Scaling Battery Raw Material Production for Long-Term LIB Supply
Jose Lazuen, Analyst – Electric Vehicles, Battery and Supply Chain, Roskill Information Services Ltd.
Forecasts for lithium-ion battery (LIB) demand have increased dramatically since early 2017 as transformatory growth projections start to gather pace in key end-use sectors (EVs and ESSs). In the short-term, requirements for mined products used in
active materials should be met by expansions and new capacity, with re-engineering of some existing assets underway to produce desired forms. Past volatility has led the LIB industry to begin de-risking future commodity prices through long-term
agreements and hedging. However, while this may smooth the impact of any near-term supply/demand imbalances, the industry is faced with a longer-term problem: achieving scale. Lithium, the unsubstitutable part in LIB, is a case in point. The majority
of producing assets have 20kt LCE capacity, which is fine if demand is 200kt and growth is 20ktpy. Some are larger, some can be built/made even larger, but what if demand becomes 40ktpy, 100ktpy? Most natural resources have never experienced such
potential demand growth as the LIB industry presents, even the China and debt -fuelled commodity “super-cycle” only boosted demand of most mined materials to 5-10%py from 3-5%py, and for less than a decade. The LIB industry could see
20%py+ lasting a generation. Throw in post-LIB technology requirements like solid-state, Li-S or lithium-metal and even more uncertainty emerges on what will be required. This paper will present a longer-term outlook for LIB raw material demand,
and highlight the issues surrounding scaling mined production of key inputs like lithium, cobalt, nickel and graphite.
12:15 The Further Contribution of Specialty Polymers to Energy Density and Safety
Thierry Baert, Solvay Specialty Polymers
Solvay has been increasingly contributing these last years, to the electrode formulations and to the separator composition. Beyond these materials that are used in the existing cell chemistries, advanced polymeric materials can be answer to a number
of additional challenges. The modules and pack design still face the target of packs going to more safety and higher energy density. Namely, with modules and packs being more and more dense, the thermal management needs materials that can maximize
both, the cooling efficiency and the safety.
12:35 Q&A
12:50 Networking Lunch
14:15 Chairperson’s Remarks
Jean-François Magnan, Technical Manager, Nemaska Lithium
14:20 Lithium-Ion Battery Raw Material Supply and Demand 2017–2025
Christophe Pillot, Ph.D., Battery Survey Manager, Avicenne Energy, France
This presentation includes cathode, anode, electrolyte and separator demand. It will examine the major component suppliers and include a discussion on price evolution and major technical trends.
14:40 Why Do We Care about Lithium?
Emilio E. Bunel, Ph.D., Vice President, Innovation, SQM, Chile
From an industrial point of view, lithium has been described as the “oil of the future” or "the new gold rush" and the demand for lithium could exceed supply in 2020 by 25%. At that point, the world is expected to need over 380,000 tons
of lithium carbonate and considering that the demand in 2014 was close to 190,000 tons, that is a 100% growth in demand over a six-year period and much of that growth will come from batteries. The lithium raw material in a Li-ion battery is only
a fraction of one cent per watt, or less than 1 percent of the battery cost. What should Chile and the rest of the so-called lithium triangle do to take advantage of this precious mineral resource? In this presentation, we will highlight some
of the past and recent activities in SQM to develop our lithium offerings for the industry, including standard lithium uses and energy storage.
15:00 Nemaska Lithium Whabouchi Mine and Transformation Plant Update
Jean-François Magnan, Technical Manager, Nemaska Lithium
Over the past few months, Nemaska Lithium has made significant progress with its Phase One Plant (P1P). This demonstration plant began producing and delivering high purity lithium hydroxide to Nemaska Lithium’s strategic partner Johnson Matthey.
This presentation outlines the recent progress of the demonstration project as well as the development of the Whabouchi Mine and commercial Hydromet plant.
15:20 HPC and Cycle Life Results for 18650 Cells Assembly with Low Cost Graphite Produced by PUREgraphite
Edward R. Buiel, PhD, CEO, PUREgraphite, LLC
Graphite Blends that Increase Capacity, Electrode Density, and Power High-quality blended synthetic/natural graphite has been developed using a new environmentally friendly process that is suitable for production in the U.S. This graphite material
has been coated, assembled in 18650 and tested using HPC, and compared with high quality 18650s that have been removed from Tesla Model S battery packs. Blends that increase capacity, electrode density, and power will be discussed.
15:40 Q&A
16:00 Refreshment Break with Poster Viewing
16:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Franco Gonzalez, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx
16:40 Impact of Booming Battery Industry on the Global Nickel Multiverse?
Denis Sharypin, Head of Market Research, MMC Norilsk Nickel
This presentation will cover the latest development of the Global Ni Supply & Demand. Complexity of Ni supply flows. How growing Ni demand in batteries can change the market balance in the long run.
17:00 Cobalt Conundrum: Securing More Battery Grade Volume in the Face of Structural and Social Challenges
Caspar Rawles, Analyst, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
The cobalt supply pipeline versus battery grade material will be presented, along with understanding the difference: cobalt metal versus cobalt chemical. Benchmark’s cobalt sulphate price analysis - a step towards battery grade will also be
covered.
17:20 Gearing Up to Feed EV Demand for Lithium
Keith Coughlan, Managing Director, European Metals Holdings Ltd.
17:40 Lithium Supply Opportunities in the Chinese Market and the Strategic Role of China in the Battery Value Chain
Anthony Tse, Managing Director, Galaxy Lithium
Galaxy is well-positioned as one of the few pure-play lithium companies with a diversified asset portfolio, to take advantage of the accelerating growth in the lithium sector. This presentation will share Galaxy’s perspectives on the potential
of the China market, where it has grown a strong customer base and which currently has the largest and fastest growing electric vehicle sector worldwide, as well as the strategic role that China plays in the overall lithium materials and battery
value-chain.
18:00 Q&A
18:20 Welcome Reception with Poster Viewing
19:20 Close of Day
Tuesday, 30 January
7:30 Symposium Registration and Morning Coffee
8:30 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Chris Berry, Founder, House Mountain Partners, LLC
8:35 PANEL DISCUSSION: How to Understand the Evolution of the Lithium Ion Supply Chain
Moderator: Chris Berry, Founder, House Mountain Partners, LLC
With almost anyone involved in the lithium ion supply chain revising their demand forecasts continually upwards, this begs the question: where are the “pinch points”? The rapid increases in lithium and cobalt chemical pricing would
indicate that these markets are tight and expected to stay that way as the theme of vehicle electrification becomes more mainstream. This panel will offer a set of diverse views about how and why the lithium ion supply chain continues to grow
and offer insights into potential stumbling blocks and opportunities.
9:15 Supply and Demand Fundamentals of the Global Graphite Market
Luke McFadyen, Market Anaylsis and Economics Manager, Syrah Resources, Ltd.
Syrah Resources began production in 2017 and by 2020 will be 40% of the world’s supply of flake graphite. This presentation will highlight the market views of the newest natural graphite miner in the world.
9:35 Don’t Forget the Nickel – A Supply Chain Analysis
Anne Oxley, Technical Director, Brazilian Nickel
The foreseen increase in EVs has already seen changes in the cobalt, lithium and graphite supply chains. With electric vehicle numbers expected to be 10% of all new vehicles sold by 2020 and many cathodes for Li-ion batteries now heading towards
>80% nickel, what is the best source of supply for the cathode manufacturers. Brazilian Nickel has a view and an analysis of the nickel supply chain now, in 2020 and 2025 onwards to meet this new demand.
9:55 Q&A
10:10 Grand Opening Coffee Break with Exhibit & Poster Viewing
11:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
Christophe Pillot, Ph.D., Battery Survey Manager, Avicenne Energy, France
11:05 The Impact of Electric Vehicles in Future Global Copper Demand
Franco Gonzalez, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx
We will provide a detailed presentation of the study commissioned by the International Copper Association and conducted by IDTechEx with the collaboration of BYD. The objective of the study was to quantify the intensity of use of copper in different
types of electric vehicle powertrains and breaking it up to different components, paying particular attention to the copper content of batteries. We will present technology trends that will impact the intensity of copper in key electric vehicle
components in the future. Finally, we will introduce our forecast of the impact on global copper demand derived from electric vehicles.
11:25 Challenges and Opportunities: Materials for Solid State Batteries in the Automotive Industry
Elizaveta Buch, New Materials, Solid-State Batteries, Daimler AG
The challenging process of vehicle electrification requires continuous improvement of current battery technologies. Solid state electrolytes can be categorized by material classes like polymers, glasses or ceramics, which can additionally be classified
in bulk materials and thin films. The talk presents research directions of solid state batteries in general and take a closer look at the most common and promising materials. Finally, there will be an outlook to future applications of solid
state batteries in the automotive industry.
11:45 Extreme Polymer Binders: A Small Amount Goes a Long Way in Green Electrification of Vehicles
Thomas Fine, Ph.D., Batteries Global Market Manager, Technical Polymers Business Unit, Arkema
Among the extensive portfolio of Arkema’s materials for xEVs batteries, a particular focus will be made on PVDF, an extreme material at the heart of green electrification of cars. PVDF binders have a tremendous impact in the search for lowering
$/kWh as well as on the long-term reliability of xEVs batteries. New products associated to the technology of separator coating will be highlighted.
12:05 A New Class of High-Performance, Low-Cost, Synthetic Graphite Anode Materials
Jeremy Schrooten, Ph.D., Senior Research and Development Engineer, Energy, Pyrotek, Inc.
Pyrotek is an innovator in high-temperature processing with over 60 years of experience. Our proprietary furnaces, designed and built by Pyrotek, produce a premium anode graphite at the competitive cost of $5/kg, manufactured using 100% renewable
energy, with very low emissions. This presentation reviews actual battery data detailing the performance of this commercially-available anode and its favorable comparison to other anode materials.
12:25 Talk Title to be Announced
Le Yu, Ph.D., CTO, Electrolyte Division, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co.Ltd
12:45 Q&A
13:00 Networking Lunch
14:15 Dessert Refreshment Break with Exhibit & Poster Viewing
15:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
Ajay Kochhar, President & CEO, Li-Cycle Corp.
15:05 Recycling of Li-Ion Batteries – Imperative for Sustainable E-Mobility
Christian Hagelüken, Ph.D., Director EU Government Affairs, Umicore AG & Co KG
Battery recycling is not only essential to broaden the supply base of battery metals, it’s also a must in the context of sustainable material sourcing and lowering the ecological footprint of e-mobility. Efficient recycling technologies
are already available today; the challenge will be to secure a comprehensive collection of end-of-life batteries and their proper recycling in facilities that are really capable to close the materials loop. The presentation will elaborate
why in this context new business approaches and forms of stakeholder cooperation will become crucial for a sustainable e-mobility.
15:25 Recycling of Graphite and Reutilization in Anode Material in Lithium Ion Battery Cells
Sascha Nowak, Ph.D., Head of Analytics & Environment, University of Muenster
In our work, the possibility of graphite recovery from spent LIBs by means of three different methods was investigated. The conductive salt lithium hexafluorophosphate is of high production costs and can be reutilized after its purification. Although
graphite is inexpensive in production, it has to be considered whether the utilization of recycled graphite, which is anyway a by-product, is more reasonable than its disposal effort.
15:45 How a QM-System May Help to Increase Safety During Storage, Sorting or Processing
Eda Coskun, Quality and Environmental Manager, Redux Recycling GmbH
This presentation shows that the requirements for a Quality Management System closely match the requirements for a Safety Management System. The same tools and processes you use to manage quality also apply to safety management systems.
16:05 Opportunities and Challenges: Ramping Up Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Capacity to ‘Giga’ Scale
Ajay Kochhar, President & CEO, Li-Cycle Corp.
This presentation explores the opportunities and challenges for the future of lithium-ion battery recycling. As megafactories for li-ion battery manufacturing continue to be ramped up, equivalent ‘mega’ scale recycling capacity
will be required. The presentation concludes with discussion of Li-Cycle’s patent-pending, validated, and scalable recycling solution for all spent lithium-ion batteries.
16:25 Profitable Near-Term Solution for End of Lithium Ion Battery Lifecycle
Michael Tamlin, COO, Neometals, Ltd.
The battery industry, car industry and grid storage industry all need a viable means to recover valuable metals from future used batteries but have limited options. Neometals has developed a complete, modular package that extracts cobalt,
lithium, nickel and other materials that can be reused in battery manufacturing. Key features are small environmental footprint, compact dimensions, low capex and good operating economics that create a profit centre from an internal scrap
processing operation.
16:45 Q&A
17:05 Networking Reception with Exhibit & Poster Viewing
18:05 Close of Symposium