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Keynote Conference Day One - November 4, 2026
08:45 - REGISTRATION
AMERICA’S MINERAL RESOURCES INDEPENDENCE
09:20 - 09:30
ORGANISER’S WELCOME REMARKS
09:30 - 10:30
OPENING PANEL DISCUSSION: BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE AMERICAS' MINING FUTURE - INVESTMENT, INNOVATION, AI. PROCESSING, RECYCLING & SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Dr. Femi Salami (Session Chair)
Managing Director & Principal Consultant, MinePro and Energy LLC, United States
Anthony Gex
Deputy Director, Inland Rivers, Ports, and Terminals, Inc (IRPT), , United States
Edward G. Hild
Principal – Government Relations, Buchanan, United States
Rachel McGuire
Price Reporter, Critical Minerals, Fastmarkets, United States
Nikhil Shirke
Global Director - Metals & Mining, Siemens Energy, United States
10:30 - 11:10
REFRESHMENTS BREAK & BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE
COMMODITIES, CRITICAL MINERALS, GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION & TECHNOLOGY
11:10 - 11:40
PREMIUM PRESENTATION: THE GLOBAL RARE EARTHS RACE - US GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT AND THE DRIVE TO BUILD SUPPLY CHAINS BEYOND CHINA
Rachel McGuire
Price Reporter, Critical Minerals, Fastmarkets, United States
11:40 - 12:10
PREMIUM PRESENTATION: SOLVING THE UNITED STATES GERMANIUM CRISIS - CASE STUDY AND UPDATE ON EMERGING UPCYCLING AND REFINING TECHNOLOGY
Elle Gahl
Managing Director, 1864 Capital, United States
12:10 - 12:30
PREMIUM PRESENTATION: ENABLING THE ENERGY TRANSITION - SIEMENS ENERGY'S CONTRIBUTION TO CRITICAL MINERALS DEVELOPMENT
Nikhil Shirke
Global Director - Metals & Mining, Siemens Energy, United States
12:40 - 14:00
REFRESHMENTS BREAK & BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE
NEW ENERGY SOURCES, COMMODITIES & CRITICAL MINERALS WORKFORCE
14:00 - 14:20
PRESENTATION: HELIUM-3 - A COLLAPSING GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE RACE TO THE MOON
Chris Salvino
Chief Executive Officer, Lunar Helium-3 Mining, United States
14:20 - 14:50
PRESENTATION: BUILDING THE CRITICAL MINERALS WORKFORCE - LESSONS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S FIRST CRITICAL MINERALS SUMMER CAMP
Jason Wu Xuqing
Associate Professor, Department of Information Science Technology, University of Houston, United States
14:50 - 15:20
PRESENTATION: CAPITALISING CRITICAL MINERALS - FINANCING THE NEXT GENERATION OF US MINING PROJECTS
Lucas Couderc-Avignon
Co-Founder, Lithium for America, United States
15:20 - 15:50
REFRESHMENTS BREAK & BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE
COMMODITIES FINANCING & INVESTMENT LANDSCAPE
15:50 - 16:50
PANEL DISCUSSION: MONEY DRIVES MINERALS - FACILITATING STRATEGIC & CRITICAL MINERALS INITIATIVES AND INVESTMENTS AND HOW THE GEOPOLITICAL RIVALRY IS AN INVESTMENT BATTLEGROUND FOR DOMINANCE IN CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS, RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Lucas Couderc-Avignon (Session Chair)
Co-Founder, Lithium for America, United States
Elle Gahl
Managing Director, 1864 Capital, United States
Jason Wu Xuqing
Associate Professor, Department of Information Science Technology, University of Houston, United States
16:50
CLOSING REMARKS & END OF DAY 1