About Graphite

A strategic mineral for the energy transition and advanced industry

Graphite is a soft, crystalline form of elemental carbon with both metallic and non-metallic properties, making it essential across batteries, expandable materials, refractories and a wide range of industrial applications.

What is graphite?

Unique properties that support modern technology.

Graphite is one of three natural allotropes of carbon, alongside coal and diamond. It is typically grey to black with a metallic lustre and occurs in metamorphic rocks such as marble, schist, gneiss and phyllite.

Depending on mode of occurrence and origin, natural graphite is graded into flake, crystalline (lumpy) and cryptocrystalline (amorphous) forms. Its combination of thermal and electrical conductivity, inertness, high thermal resistance and lubricity makes it suitable for many industrial uses.

Thermal and electrical conductivity for advanced materials
High thermal resistance for refractories and high-temperature applications
Lubricity and chemical inertness for coatings, gaskets and polymer systems

Flake About 40% of the natural graphite market, typically 80–98% graphitic carbon

Critical Recognised as a strategic mineral by the USA, EU and Japan

Lower CO₂ Natural flake graphite has a lower carbon footprint than synthetic graphite

Market Drivers

Demand is expanding across traditional and green applications

Batteries

EV and energy storage

Small flake graphite is a key component in lithium-ion battery anodes. Each electric vehicle requires around 50kg of flake graphite, supporting long-term demand growth.

Expandable

Flame-retardant materials

Large flake graphite is used in expandable graphite products for flame-retardant building materials and specialty industrial applications.

Industrial

Traditional applications

Graphite remains essential in refractories, lubricants, crucibles, coatings, gaskets, consumer electronics and advanced polymer systems.

Why it matters now

Green initiatives are reshaping graphite demand.

Industrial demand for graphite has grown steadily with the industrialisation of China, India and other emerging economies. The major growth opportunity now comes from green initiatives including lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, solar energy, semiconductors and nuclear energy.

Many of these applications have the potential to consume more graphite than all current uses combined, reinforcing the strategic importance of reliable natural flake supply.

Large flake for expandable and flame-retardant products
Small flake for lithium-ion battery anodes
Natural flake as a lower-carbon alternative to synthetic graphite

Electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Our Alignment

Grafex is positioned for premium flake markets

Product diversity

Our Ancuabe concentrate profile is designed to serve expandable graphite, battery and refractory markets through a mix of large flake, high-purity and fine flake products.

Strategic timing

As electrification and energy storage accelerate, high-quality natural flake graphite projects in established jurisdictions are increasingly important to global supply chains.

Explore further

See how our projects connect to the graphite opportunity.

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