Ask a mining company who their customer is and they’ll name a trader or a refiner. Ask a brand where their minerals come from and they’ll point to a smelter at best. The two ends of the critical minerals value chain are operating in isolation from each other, and it is showing up in weaker accountability, murkier supply visibility, and missed opportunities on both sides.
Direct engagement between miners and downstream buyers is rare. But where it happens, it changes what’s possible for the entire value chain. This session asks what it would take to make it the norm.
- Moving beyond transactional relationships: how downstream buyers and upstream producers are rethinking risk and investment sharing
- What accountability looks like in practice across long, complex value chains
- The business case for responsible sourcing partnerships, beyond reputational benefit
- The role of industry initiatives and third parties in enabling trust where direct relationships are limited
What to expect from this type of session...
Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.
