Responsible Lithium Production for Energy Transition and Electric Mobility

The transition towards a more sustainable energy matrix is heavily reliant on both the further development of technologies enabling energy harvesting from renewable resources such as wind, solar power, and potential energy, among others. Moreover, due to the intermittent nature of renewable energies, it is also a must to improve our energy storage capabilities. Metals and energy lie at the heart of this transition and are intricately intertwined. In order to meet the soaring metals' demand for the energy transition and electric mobility, exploration of new deposits and the development of innovative processes capable of extracting metals from both rich and poorer, and unconventional deposits (brines, industrial waste, urban mining waste, mining residues, etc.) are at the forefront of concerns. Integrating these activities into the local landscape while considering environmental constraints and local populations is a critical aspect for the success of any mining projects. It is essential to consider not only the technical aspects but also to integrate geographical, environmental, and human aspects throughout the project lifecycle. This conference will primarily focus on lithium and strategies implemented to address the increasing demand for lithium. During the conference, we will delve into: - Recent technological innovations aimed at meeting the high demand for lithium while being environmentally sustainable (direct lithium extraction technologies, environmental impact of brine and lithium-bearing rocks exploitation, especially in contexts where freshwater is scarce, etc.). - Lithium salts refining for its use in lithium-ion batteries. - The integration of lithium mines into the local landscape and the impact of mining activities on populations. - Challenges for next generation lithium battery technologies. - Geopolitics associated with lithium deposits, providing an overview of how the exploitation of new conventional and unconventional lithium deposits can impact the lithium - supply chain, currently centred in South American countries and Australia. This conference aims to bring together experts in the fields of geosciences, chemistry, process engineering, environmental sciences, macroeconomics, mining engineering, extractive metallurgy and lithium-ion battery. The conference will take place in Jujuy province, in the northwest of Argentina, at the foot of the Lithium Triangle where over 50 % of the worldwide lithium resources in brines are found. The closest actively exploiting facilities are only 3 hours drive away from the site of the conference, and we envision organization of a visit to such facility (provided granting of visiting permits and weather allowing).