host sponsor
OVERVIEW
Turning geopolitical tides have highlighted the essential nature of the mining ecosystem, lying as it does at the intersection of national security and global energy demands. At this crucial juncture, collaboration among nations is essential to building the secure, value-added supply chains needed to drive their rapidly shifting economies. Great strides are being made, but much remains to be done to bolster the Western world’s mining, processing, and supply chain capabilities and secure its economic future.
The Commodities Innovation Forum: Metals + Mining takes a deep dive into the key forces—geopolitics and policy, industry trends, economic drivers, capital markets, and technological innovation—shaping the global mining ecosystem. Through focused panels and presentations, we’ll explore the forces driving global minerals demand, the strategies that governments and industry are deploying to build resilient supply chains, the cutting-edge innovations transforming mining and processing operations, and the creative financing mechanisms required to turn strategic vision into operational reality.
For stakeholders, the innovation imperative at this critical juncture is clear. The purpose of this event is to inform, connect and frame a narrative for the ecosystem’s future.
STRUCTURE + audience
- Format: Half-day (afternoon) event followed by a networking reception, hosted at Clifford Chance’s offices in London.
- Sessions: The agenda will feature a mix of panel discussions, fireside chats, and keynote presentations focused on the evolving mining and metals ecosystem and the innovation imperative driving change within it.
- Attendees: Expect ~100+ senior attendees from across the ecosystem: policymakers and government officials, mining and mineral processing company executives, battery technology and manufacturing leaders, OEM leaders, capital markets leaders, and professional services. This diverse audience of stakeholders across the ecosystem ensures a rich exchange of insights and connections across the value chain.
- Objective: The purpose of the forum is to take a deep dive into the key forces—geopolitics and policy, industry trends, economic drivers, capital markets, and technological innovation—shaping the global mining ecosystem.
THEMES + AGENDA
2:30 PM | REGISTRATION
3 PM - 3:10 pm | OPENING REMARKS
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM | KEYNOTE ADDRESS
3:35 PM - 4:20 PM | Panel DISCUSSION: The Global MINING & METALS ecosystem in 2026
- Demand drivers: How are trends such as a maturing EV market, a renewed interest in nuclear energy, increased defence spending, and the data centre boom shaping the outlook for minerals and materials demand?
- Shifting tailwinds: How has the materials industry moved beyond being price-dependent to being policy-dependent, and how is resource nationalism changing the picture? What are the key challenges and opportunities emerging from this shift?
- Growth strategies: How are global mining companies competing with China for market share? Where are the biggest opportunities for growth, vertical integration, and supply diversification and what are the attendant challenges?
- Regulatory update: How is the sector responding to the latest EU policy initiatives to foster the development of mines in Europe and other regions? What of those designed to curb emissions? Where are import and export controls having a significant impact?
4:25 pm - 5:10 pm | Panel DISCUSSION: The forces reshaping Western supply chains
- A
new geopolitical paradigm: How far can governments go to exclude
non-market players from Western supply chains? Which government
initiatives—including procurement policy, stockpiling, public-private
partnerships, and bilateral and multilateral agreements—are showing the
most promise in this regard?
- Strategic
realignment: How are manufacturers reassessing their exposure to
Chinese-controlled refining and processing? How is the business case for
mitigating that exposure evolving and what strategies are being
successfully deployed to that end?
- R&D:
How are new extraction techniques being used to shorten supply chains?
Where is progress being made to build circular pathways and what will it
take for recycling to become a bigger part of the picture?
- A
future-forward ecosystem: How are government and industry working
together to address funding gaps for emerging exploration, extraction,
processing & recycling technologies?
5:10 pm - 5:25 pm | SPOTLIGHT: THE FUTURE OF mining & PROCESSING
High-impact presentations on technologies and services with game-changing potential in mining and metals.
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm | Fireside chat: Innovation in financing
- Overcoming the capital productivity hurdle: What financing structures and capital solutions are proving most effective for de-risking mining projects and drawing private capital into the space?
- Shifting the conversation: How is “catalytic” government capital (like the UK’s National Wealth Fund) acting as a signal for private equity?
- Leveraging government bodies and partnerships: Where are we seeing effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation and co-financing for mining projects? How are export credit agencies (ECAs) & development finance institutions (DFIs) being effectively leveraged to support mining developments?
- Innovative financing: How can hybrid capital solutions support the buildout of processing and recycling capacity in the West?
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Closing Remarks + NETWORKING RECEPTION
host sponsor
SPONSORSHIP
Partner with The Legal Innovation Forum to engage senior legal leaders and innovators shaping the future of the industry.
For inquiries, contact jacquie@adbinsights.com
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