Page 180 - CW E-Magazine (11-2-2025)

Special Report Special Report

Graphite market expansion to continue to be driven identity of the end-user as well as the Electric vehicles (EVs)– the market alternatives. With these desirable attri-
driver
butes, the share of natural graphite
specifi c end use.
The main story for graphite conti-
active anode material consumed in
by battery demand During the fi rst nine months of nues to be the transition to EVs globally. battery anodes is forecast to increase to
INTRODUCTION rocks. It has a needle-like macro In 2023, China was the world’s 2023, China exported 58-kt of fl ake Both synthetic and natural graphite, above 40% by mass by 2040.
arbon materials are attracting morphology and often exhibits leading natural graphite producer, graphite concentrate, compared to in the form of spherical graphite, are
tremendous research interest a very high degree of purity and accounting for an estimated 77% of 81-kt exported in the same period in currently used in the anodes of lithium- By weight, graphite is the largest
Cbecause of their extraordinary crystallinity. However,vein graphite world production. Approximately 15% 2022. The leading recipients were ion batteries (LIBs). component in LiB, which contain 10-15
properties and unparalleled advantages deposits are rare, and Sri Lanka is of graphite produced in China was South Korea (18%), Japan (17%), India times more graphite than lithium, and
in energy, environmental, materials, the only country in the world that amorphous and about 85% was fl ake. (14%), and the US (8%). During the Spherical graphite is manufactured this is so across all cathode chemistries,
catalysis, biomedicines, electronics, etc. produces vein graphite in commer- same period in 2023, China exported from either fl ake graphite concentrates including high nickel content (NCM
The most widely used carbon mate- cial quantities. Almost all of Chinese natural 39-kt of natural spherical graphite, produced by graphite mines or from and NCA) and lithium iron phosphate
rials include graphite, graphene and their graphite ore supply is from Luobei less than the 45-kt exported in 2022. synthetic graphite. Only fl ake graphite (LFP) batteries. Despite a recent slow-
derivates, carbon nanotubes, fullerene, In addition, there is graphite that has and Jixi provinces in north-eastern The leading recipients were the South which can be economically rounded down in EV markets, long-term growth
carbon quantum dots, carbon fi bres, been artifi cially synthesized through the China. The province of Luobei is cur- Korea (56%), the US (23%), and Japan and upgraded to 99.95% purity can forecasts remain strong, promising ris-
activated carbon, carbon black, and high-temperature processing of other car- rently the largest production region (19%)(3). be used. The manufacturing process ing consumption of natural and synthe-
biomass-derived carbon. The applica- bon materials. The primary raw materi- for fi ne fl ake graphite in the world, includes micronisation, rounding, purifi - tic graphite(7).
tions of these carbon materials strongly als used to produce synthetic graphite are and a key supply source in the battery Mozambique produced 120-kt cation and heat treatment. The process
depend on not only their intrinsic struc- calcined cokes and coal tar pitch (CTP). anode supply chain alongside Balama, in of natural graphite in 2020, 77-ktin is expensive and wastes up to 70% of Recent market trends
tural features, but also their interfacial Artifi cial graphite is often purer than Mozambique, which is the single largest 2021, while the estimates for 2022 the fl ake graphite feed. As a result, Natural graphite production bal-
affi nity with other substrates. natural graphite, but more expensive, due integrated natural graphite mining and and 2023 were 182-kt and 117-kt, uncoated spherical graphite currently looned in 2022 when global mined sup-
to the large amount of energy consumed processing operation globally. respectively(4). sells for up to 3-4 times the price of ply reached 1.680-mt, a 74% increase
Graphite is lauded for its versatile during the manufacturing process. large fl ake graphite(6). from 2020’s 0.966-mt. Global output
properties: it can conduct heat and In October 2023, China announced Graphite in India registered a small 4.6% decline in 2023
electricity; it is fl ame retardant and Graphite supply export restrictions to take effect on While India is ranked ninth in Most battery producers mix the two to1.600-mt; however, the reduction was
corrosion-resistant; and lighter than According to the United States Geo- December 1 on certain goods, including graphite reserves, it is among the top graphite types as artifi cial graphite has enough to send the market into defi cit.
aluminium. logical Survey (USGS), Turkey, China, fl ake graphite, spherical graphite (natural fi ve global suppliers. Some countries a longer life cycle, and natural graphite
Brazil, Madagascar and Mozambique and synthetic), expandable graphite, with large reserves, like Brazil and offers greater energy density.Natural China is home to ~84% of global
Types of graphite(1) are the top fi ve countries with natural- and some synthetic graphite products. Turkey, have not scaled production, and graphite active anode material can be capacity for anode materialsand pro-
Naturally-occurring graphite is graphite deposits. Together, they Exporters need to apply for a license, Ukraine and Russia have constrained produced at lower cost and with reduced duces an array of materials from tradi-
formed from carbon-rich organic matter constitute around 80% of global graphite which required export contracts, tech- outputs. Compared to other major natu- environmental impacts, and can achieve tional natural and synthetic graphite
subjected to a high temperature,high- reserves. nical product specifi cations, and the ral graphite producers, India’s exports a higher capacity, compared to synthe- to nextgeneration carbons and silicon-
pressure geological environment for a Table 1: Applications of different types of graphite(2) are priced competitively at around tic graphite-based active anode material based anodes. The country is estimated
long period of time. It can be classifi ed Flake Amorphous Crystalline Synthetic $650-700/tonne compared to the global
into three categories according to graphite graphite vein graphite graphite average of $1,400/tonne(5). 100%
degree of crystallinity: LIBs
 Amorphous graphite, also called India has been ranked amongst the
cryptocrystalline or microcrystal- Refractories & foundries top fi ve natural graphite producers by
line graphite, consists of very fi ne Lubricants & coatings the USGS, with reserves of nearly 11-mt.
graphite fl akes. It is the most abun- Friction products Graphite occurrences are reported
dant natural graphite but occurs at Powder metallurgy from Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal
the lowest grade. Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maha- Metal Composition % Mass
 Flake graphite is often distributed Pencils rashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil
in the form of isolated, fl at crystal- Nuclear reactors Nadu, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and
line fl akes in metamorphic rocks. Hydrogen fuel cells Rajasthan. However, the deposits of eco- Graphite Graphite Graphite Graphite Graphite
It is frequently the preferred form Vanadium redox fl ow batteries nomic importance are mainly in Andhra
of natural graphite in industry and Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal 0%
accounts for the majority of natural Graphite electrodes for electric Pradesh. Jharkhand, Odisha and Tamil NMC(111) NMC(622) NMC(811) NCA LFP
graphite production globally. arc furnaces Nadu are the only States where mining Graphite Lithium Cobalt Nickel Manganese Aluminum Iron Phosphate
 Vein graphite, also known as lump Graphite electrodes for and processing operations are being Fig. 1: Raw material composition of batteries
graphite, occurs as veins between aluminium smelters conducted. Source: Syrah Resources

180 Chemical Weekly February 11, 2025 Chemical Weekly February 11, 2025 181

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