GRAPHITE

Natural graphite is classified into three types — amorphous, crystalline flake and vein. Amorphous graphite is the lowest quality and most abundant. Amorphous refers to its very small crystal size and not to a lack of crystal structure. Crystalline flake graphite is less common and higher quality than amorphous graphite. Flake graphite occurs as separate flakes that crystallized in metamorphic rock, and highquality flake graphite can be four times the price of amorphous graphite. Vein graphite is the rarest, most valuable and highest quality type of natural graphite. It occurs in veins along intrusive contacts and it is only commercially mined in Sri Lanka. Graphite has metallic and nonmetallic properties, which make it suitable for many applications. The metallic properties include electrical and thermal conductivity. The nonmetallic properties include high thermal resistance, inertness and lubricity. The combination of conductivity and high thermal stability allows graphite to be used in many applications such as batteries, electrodes, fuel cells and refractories. Graphite’s lubricity and thermal conductivity make it an excellent material for high-temperature applications because it provides effective lubrication at a friction interface while furnishing a thermally conductive matrix to remove heat from the same interface. High-purity natural and synthetic graphite have played an important role in the emerging nonhydrocarbon energy sector and have been used in several new energy applications. In energy production applications, graphite is used as pebbles for modular nuclear reactors and in high-strength composites for wind, tide and wave turbines. In energy storage applications, graphite is used in bipolar plates for fuel cells and flow batteries, anodes for lithium-ion batteries, electrodes for supercapacitors, high-strength composites for fly wheels, phase-change heat storage and solar boilers. In energy management applications, graphite is used in high-performance polystyrene thermal insulation and for silicon chip heat dissipation. These new energy applications use valueadded graphite products such as spherical graphite, expanded graphite and graphene. Production No natural graphite is mined in the United States, but four natural graphite projects were under development in 2022. Graphite One Inc. was developing the Graphite Creek project in Alaska, South Star Battery Metals Corp. was developing the BamaStar project in Alabama, and Westwater Resources Inc. was developing the Coosa project in Alabama. An additional project was under early development in Montana. World production of natural graphite in 2022 was an estimated 1.30 Mt compared with 1.13 Mt in 2021. The leading producers of natural graphite in 2022 were China, 850 kt; Mozambique, 170 kt; Madagascar, 110 kt; and Brazil, 87 kt. These four countries contributed approximately 94 percent of the global natural graphite production. Consumption U.S. consumption of natural graphite increased by an estimated 62 percent to 72 kt in 2022 from 44.4 kt in 2021. The major uses of natural graphite in 2022 were batteries, brake linings, lubricants, powdered metals, refractory applications and steelmaking. A recent and growing source of graphite consumption is that of lithium-ion batteries, owing to increased demand for electric vehicles (EV) and portable electronic devices. Graphite is an essential component of many types of batteries, making up the majority of the material contained in the anode. Spherical purified graphite (SPG) is the specialized form of graphite used as battery anode material. SPG is produced from natural flake graphite concentrate, which has been rounded, micronized, purified to 99.95 percent and coated. Most SPG is produced in China. Anode material can be made with natural or synthetic graphite. Some companies combine natural and synthetic to utilize the strengths of each, especially in the EV market. Prices Prices for natural graphite largely depend on flake size, size distribution and carbon content. Prices for individual flake mesh sizes were unavailable. The estimated unit values of imports in 2022 were $560/t for amorphous, $1,300/t for flake and $2,500/t for vein graphite from Sri Lanka. According to China customs data, prices for uncoated spherical graphite exported to the United States were about $4,500/t in 2022. Foreign trade U.S. trade data are from the U.S. Census Bureau and were analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Total U.S. natural graphite imports increased by 68 percent in terms of tonnage to 89.1 kt in 2022 from 53.1 kt in 2021, and the value increased by 161 percent to $186 million in 2022 from $71.2 million in 2021. The increase in natural graphite imports resulted from substantial increases in quantity and in value of imports from China, which increased by 132 percent and 325 percent respectively. Principal import sources of natural graphite were China (50 percent), Mexico (14 percent), Madagascar (12 percent), and Canada and Mozambique (9 percent each). In 2022, natural SPG imports increased by 525 percent in tonnage to 14.4 kt from 2.3 kt in 2021, and the value increased by 609 percent to $64.5 million compared with $9.1 million in 2021. All natural SPG was imported from China. SPG imports represented about 16 percent of the tonnage and about 35 percent of the value of all natural graphite imports in 2022. Industry news In 2022, two SPG facilities were under construction in the United States. Syrah Resources Ltd. was constructing a plant in Vidalia, LA, and Westwater Resources was constructing a plant in Kellyton, AL. Both projects were expected to begin commercial production during 2023-2024. Three graphite projects were under construction globally in 2022, with production expected to begin in 2023. In Brazil, South Star began construction on the Santa Cruz graphite project, located in southern Bahia. Santa Cruz would be the first new graphite operation in the Americas since 1996. In Madagascar, NextSource Materials Inc. completed construction of the processing plant for the Molo graphite mine, with plant commissioning expected in 2023 followed by commercial production. In Tanzania, Walkabout Resources Ltd. continued to develop the Lindi Jumbo project. Construction began in 2021; the first of many projects moving forward in the country. In February 2022, Volt Resources Ltd. halted graphite production in Ukraine, citing Russian military action. Operations recommenced in August, although future production was uncertain as the conflict continued. Additionally, the United States and many other countries have suspended normal trade relations with Russia, removing supplies of Russian graphite from much of the global market. Outlook Worldwide demand for natural and synthetic graphite is expected to continue increasing as more nonhydrocarbon energy applications that use graphite are developed. Steel production and other types of metallurgical activity, which are important consumers of graphite, are expected to increase as well. Global graphite consumption is expected to increase owing to new technologically advanced applications, such as aerospace applications, fuel cells, graphene, lithium-ion batteries, energy storage, pebble-bed nuclear reactors and solar power. The lithium-ion battery industry has created high demand for natural flake graphite. This has led to large increases in exploration and development, with much of it being focused on Africa. Multiple projects globally are under consideration in Australia, Canada, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania.

GRAPHITE

Authored by:
Andrew Stewart

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From sessions to strategy: Revealing long-term and emerging innovation trends in data analytics, intelligent systems and automation

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To view the past issues of the UCA magazine you must be a member of SME/UCA.

GEMSTONES

GYPSUM

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