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Natural Graphite Report 23/10/2012
A new report from Industrial Minerals - order now.
Price: £4085


Natural graphite is entering a new era of demand. Faced by a perfect storm of factors the world's graphite supply is in uncertain times.


Graphite's diversity has secured a strong suite of traditional end use markets over the last 100 years. Refractories, metallurgy, lubricants, and carbon products such as car brake pads and pencils have carved out a substantial business for many producers around the world.


But it is the emergence of the Li-ion battery era that has the potential to turn the industry on its head. Portable electronic devices – mobile phones, iPads, power tools – and large scale energy storage all favour Li-ion technology. It is electric vehicles that hold the potential demand clout that could revolutionise the graphite space.


The potential for graphite does not stop there. The wild card is the new super-material graphene. Derived from a single layer of graphite, graphene is over 100 times stronger than steel and more conductive than copper while being incredibly light. The applications of graphene are endless, but it is yet to be commercialised. Very soon, the industry may not have enough natural graphite to go around.