Global graphite reserves are widely distributed and located on five continents. Total estimates of recoverable graphite reserves amounted to 300 million tons in 2019, recoverable graphite in inferred resources exceeded 800 million tons worldwide(USGS2020).
According to USGS data, Chinese graphite reserves accounted for about 24% og the world total, a number substantially lower than official Chinese data. Despite the Chinese figures including both reserves and resources, the discrepancy is likely due to different reporting standards.
Chinese natural graphite reserves and resources
Chinese natural graphite reserves and resources were established to be 537 million tons in 2018(ICMNR 2019), corresponding to a net increase of 83 million tons, or 18%, over the previous year. Since 2010, significant process has been made in prospecting for flake graphite in China, with an additional 252 million tons of flake graphite discovered. This represents an increase of 136% between 2010 and 2018. Flake graphite resources in China are widely distributed, with current operations in 20 provinces(autonomous regions, municipalities) and 173 mining ares in 2018. China’s main producing region are amorphous graphite in Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia.
Chinese reserves and resources of amorphous graphite have increase by over 70% since 2010(ICMNR 2019), amounting to 100 million tons in 2018, a net increase of 13 million tons or close to 14% over the previous year. By the end of 2018, ten Chinese provinces(autonomous regions, municipalities) and 38 mining ares had operated graphite mines. China’s main producing regions for amorphous graphite are concentrated in Inner Mongolia autonomous regions and Jilin and Hunan province.
European natural graphite reserves and resources
There are a number of exploration projects across Europe, with Scandinavia in particular having seen increased exploration activity for graphite over the past few years. Combined published reserves and resources for these projects amount to close to 11 million tons; combined reported graphite reserves were 1.05million tons, corresponding to less than 1% of global reserves. Current producer Norway accounted for approximated half of those; the Geological Survey of Norway reports approximately 560000 tons of proven reserves for the Traelen graphite deposit, the site of the country’s only currently active graphite mine(NGY 2015)
For current graphite producers Ukraine, Germany and Austria, however, published data on reserves and resources is scarce. Taking former graphite-producing countries such as the Czech Republic and Romania into consideration, the current European resource base is expected to be higher.
Remaining world natural graphite reserves and resources
Graphite reserves outside China and Europe stood at 227 million tons, equating to 76% of global reserves(USGS2020, BGR 2020). Graphite reserves in Turkey are deemed the world’s largest at 90 million tons, accounting for 30% of global reserves. Most deposits are of amorphous type and wide-spread across the country. At an estimated 72 million tons, the USGS 2020 ranks Brazilian reserves as the third largest worldwide, accounting for approximately 24% of global reserves. Most economically viable flake-type graphite deposits are located in the states of Minas Gerais, Ceara and Bahia.
East Africa has been the focus of exploration activities in recent years. This has led to a sharp increase in the reserve and resources base of flake graphite, particularly in Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar. The region had a combined reserve base of 44.6 million tons in 2019, accounting for 15% of global reserves. With 25 million tons, Mozambique had the word’s fourth largest known graphite reserves in 2019, equating to about 8% of global reserves and combined reserves and resources base of over 344 million tons(S&P global 2020). The country also boasts the largest African reserves, including the world’s single largest graphite resource at the Balama project in Cabo Delgado province in the country’s north. Tanzanian reserves amounted to 18 million tons of graphite, accounting fir a global share of 6%; reserves in Madagascar currently stand at 1.6 million tons. Exploration activities in East Africa have almost exclusively focused on the delineation of flake graphite deposits, with Madagascan deposits in particular known for their large flake size. Continued exploration efforts in these countries are likely to lead to an increase in the reserve base over the coming years.
Indian reserves were much large. Graphite occurrences are widespread in India, with reserves including flake, amorphous and vein graphite deposits. Additional Asian countries with substantial graphite reserves and resources outside China include Russia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPR Korea), Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Canada and Australia also host a number of known graphite deposits, accounting, however, for less than 2% of global resources. Canadian graphite resources are predominantly located in Quebec and Ontario and include both flake and amorphous deposits. Australia graphite resource base is located in the states of Western Australia and South Australia. Current exploration efforts in both countries are focused on the discovery and advancement of flake graphite projects.
There are number of other countries with known graphite resources, such as the USA, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malawi, Ghana, Namibia and Ethiopia. However, limited data are available on the resource bases and the type of known deposits.
