Valentin Goldberg, M. Sc.

  • Adenauerring 20b
    76131 Karlsruhe

Profile

Lithium extraction from geothermal reservoirs enables production of the central raw material of the energy transition locally and independently, as well as improving global supply chains - Opportunities for sustainable and resilient raw material strategy
Ignacio Perez
Research topics
Valentin Goldberg at the reception hosted by Chancellor Scholz in Santiago de Chile, January 2023.

With our research on the material use of thermal waters, we accompany the development of this forward-looking approach from the scientific side. We identify fundamental challenges and opportunities and develop solutions together with our partners in order to further develop the technology. We make our results available to the general public in the form of a wide variety of publications and are thus the central point of contact on the subject for local residents, journalists, industry and politics.

Main topics
  • Material utilization of thermal waters
  • Geochemical exploration
  • Geochemical modeling
  • Commodity markets
Project
Tasks
  • Geochemical/geothermal evaluation of hydrothermal systems
  • Organization and execution of geochemical exploration campaigns
  • Prototype development for thermal water treatment
  • Project management BrineMine
  • Interface research and school
    • Organization of teacher training: School Meets Science at the Center for Teacher Quality in Karlsruhe, Germany
    • Scientific advisor to the writing team for the production of school materials of the German Geothermal Association
  • Science communication
Teaching
  • Master Course Applied Geothermal Energy (Summer Semester 2020, Summer Semester 2023)
    • Instructor / Organization Excursion
  • Bachelor course (Universidad de Chile) Principios de Geotermia (Autmn Semester 2022)
    • Assistant Professor
  • Bachelor course Fundamentals of Energy Resources (Summer Semeser 2023)
(Co-)supervised student research projects
  • Project study L. Spitzmüller
  • Bachelor thesis A. Männle (2019)
  • Master thesis L. Spitzmüller (2020)
    • Awarded with the Christian-Hecht-Prize 2020
    • Awarded with the Sparkassen Umweltpreis 2020
  • Bachelor thesis C. Wilke (2021)
  • Project study F. Pistor (2021)
  • Project study N. Brosz (2022)
  • Master thesis I. Perez (Ongoing)
    • Cooperation master thesis with Universidad de Chile
  • Master thesis N. Seimetz (Ongoing)
Awards:
  • Student Award of the German Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers 2018
  • 3rd Price at the Energie-Campus 2021 of the Stiftung Energie & Klimaschutz
  • Young Scientist Award 2022 of the GDMB Gesellschaft der Metallurgen und Bergleute e. V.
Science Communication
TV

Podcasts
Print/Online (Auswahl)
Public lectures
Official press releases
Profile links
Memberships
  • Since 2016: Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
    • GSSPE Student Award 2018
    • 2019 - 2023: Officer Student Chapter Liaison
    • Since 2023: Officer Geothermal Liaison
  • Since 2019: Graduate School for Climate and Environment (GRACE).
  • Since 2019: Institute of Eco-Industrial Development (IECO)
  • Since 2021: German Geothermal Association
    • Scientific consulting in the project GeoSchulB
  • Since 2022: GDMB Society of Metallurgists and Miners e.V.
    • Young Scientist Award 2022

Referenced publications


2024
Challenges and Opportunities for Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Systems in Germany Part 3: The Return of the Extraction Brine
Goldberg, V.; Dashti, A.; Egert, R.; Benny, B.; Nitschke, F.; Kohl, T.
2024. Proceedings - European Metallurgical Conference (EMC), Volume 1, Düsseldorf, 11th - 14th June 2023, 185 – 206, GDMB Verlag GmbH
2023
Challenges and Opportunities for Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Systems in Germany—Part 3: The Return of the Extraction Brine
Goldberg, V.; Dashti, A.; Egert, R.; Benny, B.; Kohl, T.; Nitschke, F.
2023. Energies, 16 (16), Art.-Nr.: 5899. doi:10.3390/en16165899
Development of a continuous silica treatment strategy for metal extraction processes in operating geothermal plants
Goldberg, V.; Winter, D.; Nitschke, F.; Held, S.; Groß, F.; Pfeiffle, D.; Uhde, J.; Morata, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2023. Desalination, 564, Artkl.Nr.: 116775. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2023.116775
2021
Selective Silica Removal in Geothermal Fluids : Implications for Applications for Geothermal Power Plant Operation and Mineral Extraction
Spitzmüller, L.; Goldberg, V.; Held, S.; Grimmer, J. C.; Winter, D.; Genovese, M.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2021. Geothermics, 95, Art.-Nr. 102141. doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2021.102141
The potential of raw material extraction from thermal brines – Successful milestones of the BrineMine project
Goldberg, V.; Winter, D.; Nitschke, F.; Rath, M.; Held, S.; Spitzmüller, L.; Budach, I.; Pavez, M.; Morata, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2021. Oil gas, (01), 26–33. doi:10.19225/210306

Conference contributions


2024
Challenges and Opportunities for Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Systems in Germany Part 3: The Return of the Extraction Brine
Goldberg, V.; Dashti, A.; Egert, R.; Benny, B.; Nitschke, F.; Kohl, T.
2024. Proceedings - European Metallurgical Conference (EMC), Volume 1, Düsseldorf, 11th - 14th June 2023, 185 – 206, GDMB Verlag GmbH
2023
MALEG – Machine Learning for Enhancing Geothermal Energy
Yström, L.; Trumpp, M.; Goldberg, V.; Eichinger, F.; Amtmann, J.; Winter, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.; Nitschke, F.
2023, November 9. European Geothermal Workshop (EGW 2023), Utrecht, Netherlands, November 8–9, 2023
Invited Session Keynote: Lithiumresources
Goldberg, V.; Nitschke, F.; Kluge, T.; Egert, R.; Kohl, T.
2023, September 6. GeoBerlin (2023), Berlin, Germany, September 3–7, 2023
Challenges and Opportunities for Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Systems in Germany
Goldberg, V.
2023, June 13. 12th European Metallurgical Conference (EMC 2023), Düsseldorf, Germany, June 11–14, 2023
2021
Entwicklung einer Aufbereitungsstrategie zur kombinierten Rohstoff- und Frischwassergewinnung aus geothermalen Fluiden
Goldberg, V.; Winter, D.; Nitschke, F.; Morata, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2021, December 1. Der Geothermiekongress (DGK 2021), Essen, Germany, November 30–December 2, 2021
Development of a fluid treatment strategy to enable combined raw material and freshwater recovery from geothermal fluids
Goldberg, V.; Winter, D.; Nitschke, F.; Morata, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2021, September 20. GeoKarlsruhe (DGGV 2021), Karlsruhe, Germany, September 19–24, 2021
Development of a brine treatment strategy for enhancing geothermal energy production and associated raw material extraction
Goldberg, V.; Winter, D.; Nitschke, F.; Morata, D.; Koschikowski, J.; Kohl, T.
2021, July 9. Goldschmidt (2021), Online, July 4–9, 2021
2020
Nachhaltige Rohstoffgewinnung aus Thermalwässern: das BrineMine Projekt
Goldberg, V.; Held, S.; Winter, D.; Spitzmüller, L.; Nitschke, F.; Morata, D.; Kohl, T.; Budach, I.; Koschikowski, J.
2020, November 12. Der digital Geothermiekongress (DGK 2020), Essen, Germany, November 9–13, 2020
2019
Numerical modeling of thermal front propagation caused by fluid injection in a fractured reservoir for forecasting thermal-induced seismicity
Goldberg, V.; Held, S.; Egert, R.; Kohl, T.
2019, October. 7th European Geothermal Workshop (EGW 2019), Karlsruhe, Germany, October 9–10, 2019
2018
Calculation of CO2 solubility in thermal waters in the context of geothermal utilization
Goldberg, V.; Held, S.; Nitschke, F.; Siefert, D.; Kölbel, T.; Kohl, T.
2018, November. Student Technical Conference (STC 2018), Freiberg, Germany, November 8–9, 2018

Reports