Very High Density Graphite
“A New & Significant Australian Technology - (Published - International Minerals Magazine February 05)”
What is Graphite?
Say “graphite” and most of us think of pencils, fishing rods or golf clubs.
To engineers graphite is a common form of carbon used extensively throughout industry because of its inertness and its lubricating and electrical qualities. So you may be shocked to know that each year the world consumes more than US$38 billion of graphite.
The industry is dominated by large manufacturers located primarily in China (with 40% of world production of natural graphite), India, Brazil, Mexico and North Korea.
A recent major industrial mineral report (1) noted that:
“From 1992-2000 world production of natural graphite has averaged 620,000tpa, with a maximum annual variation of about 15%”.
Graphite is widely used in metallurgical, chemical, mechanical, glass and ceramic industries, primarily as moulds, crucibles, electrodes and electrical components.
Graphite plays an important role in a range of medical, environmental, transportation and energy management technologies.
The same report (1) noted a growing demand for graphite in new technologies. It said:
“Graphite usage in battery manufacture shows significant growth potential in both the USA and Asia. There are hopes that fuel cells, in particular, will brighten the long-term perspective. Demand from this sector currently accounts for just 12-15,000tpa but some industry observers believe that, in the long term, demand for high quality, high carbon graphite in batteries and fuel cells could increase to 100,000tpa or 15% of present world production.”
