Mineral intelligence
Graphite mining assets in Africa
Every lithium ion battery contains more graphite than lithium, a fact the market consistently underweights.
STRATUM does not yet publish verified graphite assets. Intelligence on this mineral is gathered continuously, and members are notified as assets clear verification.
What members see
Grades and assay results, resource and reserve estimates, evidence provenance, deal structure, infrastructure and power, and the geospatial layer. Identity of the operator is released only to compliance-cleared members on an approved request.
Graphite mining: uses, market and Africa’s position
What graphite is
Natural graphite is mined as flake, as vein material and as amorphous ore. Flake graphite is the type that matters for batteries, and within it flake size and carbon purity determine value. Synthetic graphite made from petroleum coke competes for the same end use at higher cost and much higher energy intensity.
What graphite is used for
Battery anodes
The largest growth market. Graphite is the anode material in essentially all commercial lithium ion cells, and a cell contains substantially more graphite by weight than lithium.
Refractories
The traditional bulk market. Graphite linings withstand the temperatures of steel and foundry furnaces.
Lubricants and seals
Graphite's layered structure makes it an effective dry lubricant and a durable sealing material.
Expandable graphite
Fire retardant applications in construction materials.
Graphite market outlook
Graphite demand is rising with battery production, but processing rather than mining is the constraint. Turning flake concentrate into spherical coated anode material requires capacity that sits almost entirely in China. As with rare earths, a graphite deposit without a route to qualified anode material is a resource rather than a supply chain.
Graphite in Africa
Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar host large flake graphite resources, several of world scale, and Namibia holds further occurrences. Flake size distribution in some African deposits is favourable for battery applications.
What to check on a graphite asset
For a graphite asset, flake size distribution and carbon purity are the value drivers, and coarse flake attracts a premium. Establish whether the concentrate has been tested for spheronisation and anode qualification, because passing a battery maker's qualification is a long process and unqualified material sells into the refractory market at a very different price.