I am sure that @DoctorFouad's definition of what constitutes small and large flakes, and whether these accord with an "industry standard", are well-suited to the product mix at BSM. However, the figures he quotes are neither self-consistent, nor are they an "industry standard". He quotes small flakes as being in the range +100 mesh/-100 mesh - which is very interesting, since it is obvious that nothing can simultaneously be greater than 100 mesh and also be less than 100 mesh.
Andrew Scogings, Consultant Geologist at CSA Global, writing about the graphite industry, gives a clearer picture of what the numbers actually are, and also gets us around the confusion of mesh size and flake diameter (in microns). He defines sizes as follows:
Large/extra large - >180 microns, or +80 mesh Medium - 150 - 180 microns, or +100/-80 mesh Small - 75 - 150 microns, or +200/-100 mesh Fine - <75 microns, or -200 mesh
The product mix quoted by Syrah appears to be consistent with Scogings' understanding of "industry standards".
The question of exactly what is a desirable product mix is also not nearly so clear cut as @DoctorFouad would have us believe. Yes, at the moment, large flake commands a significant premium over small flake. But where is the market headed? Today, most of the demand is from the steel industry, where larger flake sizes are preferred. The volume demand in the future will surely come from battery graphite production, where small flakes are preferred, and large flakes are a positive disadvantage, as they must be broken up prior to conversion into the spheroids required for batteries. Clearly, the market will determine what is finally settled upon as the best mix, but, unless all the forecasters in the business are wrong, large flakes will become a liability!
Cheers
SYR Price at posting:
$1.33 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)