The Minerals Manhattan Podcast

Emily sits down with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence founder and CEO Simon Moores during their annual flagship event. Simon looks back at Benchmark's journey over the last few years culminating with Arnold Schwarzenegger opening this year's Benchmark Week.

Emily and Simon discuss entrepreneurship, Benchmark's role in the energy transition, critical minerals creeping into the mainstream conversation, EVs, AI and their love of 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin'.

Simon Moores is a British businessman and entrepreneur, specializing in the lithium ion battery and electric vehicle industry.

He is founder and CEO of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, an independent market intel and price reporting agency for the lithium ion battery to EV supply chain.

He has testified to the US Senate three times, in 2017, 2019 and 2020, where he was focused on the impact of critical mineral supply chains in the wake of the rise of energy storage and electric vehicles, and outlined the percentage of global capacity controlled by the US at each stage of the lithium ion battery supply chain, with the answer for most being zero.

Benchmark sets the lithium industry’s benchmark pricing as well as for cobalt, graphite, nickel and battery cells.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence 
https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/

Simon Moores
LinkedIn 
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simon-moores-b0661418

Twitter/X 
@sdmoores

In this episode, we explore the world of direct lithium extraction (DLE) and follow the remarkable journey of E3 Lithium.

We delve into the ever-evolving landscape of DLE technology, spotlighting the revolutionary use of "magical beads" for selectively extracting lithium from brine solutions. Joining us is Chris Doornbos, CEO of E3 Lithium, as we dissect the shift in DLE methods driven by factors like efficient loading, rapid kinetics, and effective stripping techniques.

Our conversation delves into the intricacies of DLE technology, contrasting ion exchange with absorption methods, and unraveling the significance of pH and chemistry in achieving selectivity. We also address the economic and practical challenges in scaling up DLE technology, underlining the importance of experimental data and the industry's transition from research projects to commercialization.

Going beyond DLE, we discuss the broader context of the lithium industry, especially its role in the ascendancy of electric vehicles and the escalating demand for efficient and cost-effective lithium extraction methods. Join us for an enlightening exploration of these critical topics.

Chris is the Founder, CEO and Director of E3 Lithium, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: ETL). He is innovator and entrepreneur, an aviator and a founder of emerging ideas and technology. He is passionate about collaboration and progressing innovation. Chris has a broad range of experience in capital raising and M&A. At E3 Lithium, Chris emphasizes risk management, developing and managing an exceptional technical team and well-strategized project development; with a clear focus on creating and capturing value for shareholders.  Chris has successfully led E3 Lithium from the foundation of a private company with a handful of permits to what is now a public company with a global scale lithium resource and an industry leading innovative extraction technology. Chris is a co-founder of the Battery Metals Association of Canada and the formerly Chair of the Canada ISO mirror committee for TC333 (lithium standards).

Previously, Chris was the CEO of Revere Development Corp and VP Exploration of MinQuest. He has held a variety of technical positions with mineral and oil/gas development companies including Avalon Minerals (AUS), Suncor, Petro-Canada, Meridian Minerals and NovaGold Corp.

E3 Lithium
https://www.e3lithium.ca/

LinkedIn
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/chrisdoornbos

Twitter
https://twitter.com/ChrisJdoornbos

Understanding the conditions that led to the formation of lithium deposits is critically important to:

·       Finding new lithium deposits

·       Finding the highest grade parts of these discoveries

·       Figuring out how to process the lithium out

Dr. Tom Benson is the VP of Global Exploration for Lithium Americas and he is a leader in figuring out lithium geology. He authored a scientific paper on the lithium resources of the McDermitt Caldera. What quickly followed were hundreds of articles celebrating the discovery of world’s largest lithium resource in a US supervolcano in sources that range from 

• The Atlantic
  https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/09/nevada-lithium-geopolitics/675325/
• New York Post
  https://nypost.com/2023/09/11/lithium-deposit-found-in-us-mcdermitt-caldera/) 
• The Daily Mail
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12504841/Worlds-largest-lithium-deposit-McDermitt-Caldera-US.html

Tom joins Minerals Manhattan Podcast for an in-depth conversation on his paper in Scientific Advances (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh8183) to explain how all that lithium got there in the first place, why it is so concentrated, and what that means for a world hungry for lithium to power EVs. 

He gives us a Reader’s Digest version of what clays are, starting with the two main ways in which clays form – physical detrital weathering vs. neoformation in water – and getting to the key point that the clays in the McDermitt Caldera are neoformed authigenic smectites due to the high magnesium/aluminium ratios, meaning they formed in an alkaline lake environment. These high magnesium smectites have lithium concentrations up to 5000 ppm.

Tom then explains the illitization enrichment process that leads to the highest lithium concentrations of up to 12,000 ppm, and how in the case of the McDermitt Caldera this concentration occurred under high temperature rather than high pressure, which is what allows this deposit to occur so close to the surface. He explains where the lithium occurs inside these clay minerals or between the sheets.

Tom finishes up with an explanation of the split between Lithium Americas and Lithium Argentina, and why he’s lucky to be working with a team who understands the long term value created by fundamental science.

Get more Tom:

https://www.tombenson.rocks/

https://twitter.com/thomasrbenson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasrbenson/

Dr. Benson received his Ph.D. in volcanology from Stanford University in 2017 for his research on global lithium resources associated with large magma chambers. His research has gained international acclaim, appearing in peer-reviewed publications such as Science and Nature, and covered in a wide variety of media outlets from The Atlantic to Fox News and NPR. Prior to his current position as Vice President of Global Exploration at Lithium Argentina, Dr. Benson was Vice President of Global Exploration at Lithium Americas, Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University, Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, Fulbright Scholar in at the Iceland GeoSurvey, Research Associate at MIT, and undergraduate at Harvard U

A special episode with a true lithium legend. In his first ever podcast, Emily sits down with the Lithium Godfather himself, Dr. John Burba. 

They explore Dr. Burba's storied career from Dow Chemicals to FMC/Livent to Simbol and Molycorp. Incredible career milestones including developing patents and processes to make adsorbant materials and the development of the first ever commercial direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant in Argentina.

Episode highlights include Emily getting a lesson in solvent extraction, John himself admitting that he continues to fail at retirement, his story dealing with Elon Musk and Tesla, and what it takes to build a large scale lithium extraction plant. 

Dr. John Burba is a physical chemist and a world-renowned pioneer in lithium and other mineral extraction technologies. His more than 40-year career features a number of lithium brine projects in North and South America, notably with Dow Chemical Co., FMC Corp., and Chemtura Corp. Most recently, Dr. Burba served as CEO of Simbol materials, a company focused on the recovery of lithium from geothermal brines in Southern California. Under his leadership, Simbol successfully developed a proprietary process capable of producing low-cost, high-purity lithium products from brines that were previously believed to be too high in contaminants to be economically processed. Dr. Burba also recently served as CTO and Executive VP of Molycorp Inc., where he was instrumental in identifying and developing numerous rare earths technologies as part for the Project Phoenix re-development of the Mountain Pass facilities. Dr. Burba received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and completed doctoral studies in Physical Chemistry at Baylor University.

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-burba-b7251a1/

Website
https://www.ibatterymetals.com/

Emily is joined by Chris Berry where in this insightful podcast episode, Chris sheds light on the intricacies of the lithium industry's pricing mechanisms, the significance of transparency, and the interplay between market dynamics and the trajectory of the spodumene market.

Chris's insights offer a comprehensive understanding of the lithium industry's ongoing transformation, including the involvement of oil and gas companies, the dynamics of battery recycling and second-life usage, and the complexities of battery ownership and responsibility. His expertise sheds light on the critical factors shaping the industry's future trajectory and highlights the significance of aligning different stakeholders' interests for a sustainable and efficient supply chain.

Episode Highlights
Lithium and Spodumene Pricing
Oil and Gas Industry's Engagement in Lithium
Battery Recycling and Second Life
End-of-Life Battery Responsibility


Chris Berry
Based in Washington DC, Chris has been an independent analyst for the past thirteen years with a focus on battery metals supply chains including lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, copper, vanadium, and rare earths. His work supports a roster of global clients including investors, mining companies, oil and gas companies, and EV manufacturers across six continents. 

His advisory work has a specific focus on how battery metals supply chains are evolving to create opportunities and threats during the energy transition in the coming decades. Aside from traditional supply, demand and pricing analysis, his recent work has focused on battery recycling, alternative extraction technologies, and how battery metals will play an increasingly strategic role in geopolitical and supply chain realignment. 

Before shifting focus to analysis of these trends, Chris gained twelve years of capital markets experience on both the buy side and sell side.  

He has visited and performed economic analysis of metals deposits on six continents and has been featured in multiple media outlets including the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR, the South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera and CNN International.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration in finance with an international focus from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Virginia Military Institute.

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-berry-6726657/

Chris's Podcast
The Power Current with Chris Berry

House Mountain Partners
http://www.discoveryinvesting.com/

Twitter
@cberry1

Emily is joined by Todd Malan of Talon Metals and they dive into what is shaping, moving and shaking industrial policy in Washington DC. They discuss what's happening to supply chains as we  move  from a fossil fuel centered energy system to a minerals centered energy system. As Emily and Todd explore the nuances of this transition, they share captivating insights from dual perspectives: that of an investor and a project developer. The conversation zeroes in on key legislative initiatives, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Clean Vehicle Credit under Section 30D. Uncover how these policies are propelling the nation towards cleaner energy solutions and what their implications are for both the environment and the economy.

The duo also uncovers the critical role of supply chain security in this new era of energy transformation. From discussions on carbon mineralization to the significance of critical minerals, they shed light on the dynamic interplay between technology, innovation, and sustainability.

Episode Highlights
Inflation Reduction Act
Section 30D - Clean Vehicle Credit
The Transition to Cleaner Sources of Energy
Supply Chain Security
Critical Minerals

Todd Malan

Todd Malan is Chief External Affairs Officer & Head of Climate Strategy at Talon Metals, a new generation mineral resource company focused on discovery and development of high-grade nickel deposits in the Lake Superior region of the United States.   Malan has responsibility for the company’s interaction with governments, tribal sovereign governments, media, investors, off-take partners and communities.  Malan leads Talon’s climate innovation activities including carbon capture and storage via new approaches to mineralization, reducing operational emissions at sites, clean energy and customer partnerships.  Malan previously led the Corporate Relations team for global mining and metals leader Rio Tinto in the Americas region and globally for the Rio Tinto Aluminum product group.  Before joining the mining and metals sector, Malan was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs.   He is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle and studied at Birkbeck College at the University of London as a Hansard Scholar.  Malan lives in Washington D.C. with his partner David DeSantis.

Todd Malan on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-malan-9b901a1a7/

Emily is joined by Henry Sanderson for a fascinating conversation covering global battery supply chains, geopolitics in the mining sector and the companies that are moving and shaking the global EV market.

Highlights include;

-Why Chinese Entrepreneurs were spooked by LDK Solar

-Chile's Nationalisation Drive within the Lithium Space. The story of  Julio Ponce Lerou, SQM and Eduardo Bitrán

-China's CATL success story in the global battery and EV space founded by Zeng Yuqun

-Volkswagen's early failure to lock up the cobalt market

-Artisanal mining and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Henry Sanderson is the executive editor of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the leading provider of data and analysis on the electric vehicle supply chain. He previously worked as a reporter covering commodities for the Financial Times in London, and before that as a reporter for Bloomberg in Beijing. He is the author of Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green, which was named a book of the week by The Observer, and one of the best science and environment books published in 2022 by The Times. 

Henry's Personal Website
https://www.henrysanderson.net/

Henry's Acclaimed Book "Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green"
https://oneworld-publications.com/work/volt-rush/?utm_source=Website

Benchmark Minerals Intelligence
https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/

Get ready for an exhilarating episode as host and Luna Lithium CEO Emily Hersh sits down with her friend, mentor and business partner Mike Kobler.

Mike Kobler is the founder and former CEO of American Lithium, who discovered the Tonopah Lithium Project. He now runs Global Subsurface Strategies while also finding time to make incredible wine with Kobler Estate Winery. 

In this candid interview, Mike shares invaluable lessons learned throughout his illustrious career in the mining industry, making it an unmissable episode for all mining enthusiasts!

🚀 Journey in the Lithium Space: From Engineering Tunnels to Nevada's Clay Stone Discovery

The episode kicks off with Mike Kobler's fascinating background from his early days as an engineer building tunnels, where a passion for geology eventually led him to the world of exploration and the lithium space.

🗺️ Nevada's Clay Stone Discovery - A Game Changer

One of the highlights of the episode is the revelation of Nevada's groundbreaking discovery of claystone with substantial lithium deposits in sediments. 

Find out more about Mike Kobler

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-kobler-30a6a629/

Canamera
http://www.canameranv.com/

Global Subsurface Strategies
https://globalsubsurface.com/

Kobler Estate Winery
https://koblerestatewinery.com/

Join host Emily Hersh and Mitra Chem CEO and Co-Founder Vivas Kumar as they cover topics such as Mitra Chem's core competencies of Speed, Focus and Scale and the changing dynamics between China and the US in the battery industry. 


They discuss cathode chemistries and batteries as an energy storage technology, the Inflation Reduction Act, a US Manufacturing Boom and everything electrication and EVs. This culminates in what Emily calls the Battery Spiderweb.
Emily asks Vivas to make a bold prediction for the next 10 years

Vivas Kumar is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mitra Chem. He was previously at Tesla as a senior manager responsible for the global battery supply chain, and a Principal at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. He earned a BS in electrical engineering from Rice University, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

You can find out more about Vivas Kumar on his LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivaswathkumar/

and his company Mitra Chem 
https://www.mitrachem.com/

You can follow our host on twitter @LithiumEmily

Our host Emily Hersh and Roger Atkins discuss the polymetallic modules containing nickel, manganese, cobalt and copper that can be found on the ocean floor leading to the big question,

 Are we going to mine the ocean floors?

The discussion gives an excellent  background and overview of last 23 years with Western Countries and China and how we have arrived at the current state of the global battery arms race.

Are the same forces at play within western carmakers that publicly support the sustainable agenda, while in the background continuing to operate solely focused on profit? 

The ocean floors will be mined, the question remains by whom and what will be the unintended consequences?

Roger Atkins – Biography

Roger has always enjoyed a challenge - which is perhaps why he's so actively involved in the EV revolution, something he's been busy with for almost 20 years in fact!

At the same time, he's built an engaged audience on Linkedin for his electric vehicle narrative, which now has a global following fast approaching 300,000 people. He's worked within established automotive OEM's as well as taking several leaps of faith at start-ups including virgincars, gibbs amphibians, and well over a decade ago, electric truck company Modec.

These days he's busy hosting or speaking at important industry events, as well as active advisory roles for a few companies including electric aircraft enterprise Zeroavia, Innovative Graphite processor Urbix Resources, the Fully Charged Show, and  the non-profit Canadian organisation ‘Energy Disruptors’ amongst a few others

Follow Roger Atkins on LinkedIn  @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogeratkins/

During the discussion various books, articles, talks and lectures were referenced which can be found below;

Benchmark Article on Senate Hearing Feb 2019
https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/blog-archive/benchmarks-minerals-simon-moores-warns-senate-us-a-bystander-in-battery-raw-materials/

Henry Sanderson – Volt Rush
https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2022/jul/17/volt-rush-by-henry-sanderson-review-winners-losers-in-the-race-to-go-green

Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism – John Elkington
https://books.google.com.py/books/about/Green_Swans.html?id=KEkTyQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

The Rules of Contagion: Why Things Spread--And Why They Stop

by Adam Kucharski
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/adam-kucharski/the-rules-of-contagion/9781541674332/?lens=basic-books