Abstract
The Economics of Natural Graphite, 2009
Over the last decade, the development of thermal and chemical processes to
produce high-purity natural graphite has enabled a more effective use of
graphite resources, as lower grade ores and fines can be transformed into
grades suitable for use in demanding applications such as batteries. Markets
previously lost to synthetic graphite, such as batteries and carbon parts now
offer opportunities for growth.
What the report gives you
- Independent, in-depth research and analysis
- Essential market intelligence for successful business planning
- Detailed survey of production and processing in 38 countries
- Up-to-date profiles of the activities of over 80 producing and processing
companies
- Forecasts for end-use consumption and world supply and demand
Report highlights
High-grade graphite can be further processed by intercalation and thermal
shock to produce expanded graphite, and materials such as graphite foil, based
on expanded graphite, form the fastest growing end-use sector for graphite.
This sector is characterised by low-volume, high-value applications including
gaskets and seals, heat sinks and bipolar plates for fuel cells and flow
batteries
Refractories remain the most important end use, accounting for around 33% of
total global demand for natural graphite. The main driver for growth in demand
for graphite-containing refractories has been increasing steel production in
Asia, particularly China. Future growth in this sector is unlikely to track
recovering steel output as unit consumption of refractory material per tonne
of steel is falling in both China and the CIS as new steel mills are installed.
The use of natural graphite in batteries has increased partly as a result of
increased availability of high-purity, high-carbon grades and partly because
of increased output of lithium-ion batteries, which use graphite in the anode.
China is by far the largest producer and consumer of natural graphite. In
2008, it accounted for around 80% of supply, although the rate at which mine
production has grown has slowed to 1.6%py since 2001. In contrast, output in
Brazil, Sri Lanka and North Korea has increased at higher rates ranging from
3.5%py to over 6%py. Increasing demand for flake graphite has led to a number
of potential developments outside China that could add a total of 70,000tpy to
global supply.
Chinese production is still characterised by a large number of small companies
but larger producers are emerging in both Heilongjiang and Hunan. Increasing
regulation of mine safety and plant emissions, together with the imposition of
export taxes and permits is likely to lead to further consolidation.
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