BGS Risk List (9)

Hi again, next up on the countdown of the most at risk elements is.....graphite! As you're about to find out it has more uses than just allowing us to write in pencil!

RANKING:

9

ELEMENT NAME AND SYMBOL:

Carbon (Graphite) (C)

RELATIVE SUPPLY RISK INDEX:

8.1

WHY?:

80% of production is controlled by China making the rest of the world vulnerable to their export taxes and VAT. Additionally the demand of the highest quality graphite is rising, due to its use in lithium-ion batteries. The USGS predicts that general graphite demand could double by 2020.

LEADING PRODUCER:

China

TOP RESERVE HOLDER:

China

WHY THE DEMAND?:

Graphite has many applications beyond the humble pencil lead (although that does still account for 4% of our annual usage of graphite). It is an electrical and thermal conductor, and therefore lends itself to be used as a lining in blast furnaces and in electrodes amongst other uses. It also has a role to play in steelmaking and making batteries and brake linings.

One exciting future development in how we use graphite may be from extracting graphene, which occurs naturally within the element. It is one of the strongest substances known and so will be in great demand, but at the moment is extremely costly to separate so new technologies need to be developed.