Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: PTI
Context: India is discussing with Sri Lanka to acquire graphite mines, aiming to meet the rising demand for graphite, crucial for battery anodes, especially lithium-ion batteries.
- China is the world’s largest producer of natural graphite, accounting for two-thirds of global supply.
- While Mozambique, Madagascar, and Brazil are significant non-Chinese producers, China also refines over 90% of the world’s graphite for use in EV battery anodes.
- It is among 30 critical minerals declared by India.
About Graphite:
Graphite is a naturally occurring crystalline form of carbon. It’s made up of stacked layers of graphene. Graphite is the most stable form of carbon under standard conditions.
Graphite is a mineral that’s found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It’s extremely soft, cleaves with very light pressure, and has a very low specific gravity.
Graphite is a good conductor of electricity and heat. It’s also lighter than diamond, smooth and slippery to the touch.
Graphite, a key component in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, has seen a surge in demand due to the growth of the EV industry. The battery end-use market for graphite has grown by 250% globally since 2018
