RANKED: World’s top 10 graphite projects

Graphite grabbed news headlines recently when China announced it will require export permits for some graphite products. China is the world’s top graphite producer and exporter and it refines more than 90% of the world’s graphite into the material that is used in virtually all EV battery anodes. The graphite curbs are intensifying efforts among miners outside the East Asian giant to bring graphite projects to fruition.

The West’s dependency on Chinese supply has seen graphite recently added to the US Department of Energy’s list of critical raw materials. According to a Benchmark Mineral Intelligence analysis, this year lithium-ion batteries will overtake the steel industry as the number one source of demand for graphite.

In a snapshot of the world’s future supply, Mining Intelligence data provides a ranking of the largest projects, based on contained graphite resources in the measured and indicated categories.

# 1 Balama North/Nicanda Hill

Development status: Stalled in feasibility

Triton Minerals’ (ASX: TON) Balama/Nicanda Hill in Mozambique takes the top spot with 41.7 million tonnes of contained graphite. The project is in the Cabo Delgado region of Northern Mozambique, the same province as Syrah Resources’ (ASX: SYR) Balama mine, which is the world’s largest graphite producing facility. The project is currently stalled and the Cabo Delgado province has experienced unrest from an Islamist extremist insurgency.

#2 Sarytogan

Development status: Prefeasibility

In second place is Sarytogan Graphite’s (ASX: SGA) flagship project with 36.3 million tonnes of contained graphite in the Karaganda province of Central Kazakhstan, which is progressing through a pre-feasibility study.

#3 Lac Gueret

Development status: Preliminary Economic Assessment

Mason Resources’ (TSXV: LLG) Lac Gueret project in northeastern Quebec is in third place with 11.3 million tonnes of contained graphite. Last January, Mason released a preliminary economic assessment of its Uatnan Mining Project that also covers the Lac Guéret deposit. It has entered into an option and joint venture agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite (TSXV: NOU) to advance the project.

#4 Mahenge

Development status: Permitting

In fourth place is Black Rock Mining’s (ASX: BKT) Mahenge project in Tanzania with 9.3 million tonnes of contained graphite. The Mahenge project is spread across 324 sq. km of exploration tenements in Tanzania’s Ulanga district, approximately 250 km north of the border with Mozambique.

#5 Siviour

Development status: Permitting

The Siviour project, owned by Renascor Resources (ASX: RNU), is in fifth place with 5.2 million tonnes of contained graphite. The Siviour graphite project is located 15 km from Arno Bay on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

#6 Epanko

Development status: Permitting

The Epanko graphite project in Tanzania takes the sixth spot with 4.8 million tonnes of contained graphite. Owner Ecograf (ASX: EGR) in April signed a framework agreement with the Tanzanian government for the Epanko project, which will provide supply diversity and scale-up optionality.

#7 La Loutre

Development status: Prefeasibility

Lomiko Metals’ (TSXV: LMR; US-OTC: LMRMF) La Loutre project in Quebec is in seventh place with 2.9 million tonnes of contained graphite. The most concentrated supply of natural flake graphite projects is found in the Grenville geological Province of Quebec — and Lomiko’s La Loutre project is at the centre.  

#8 Malingunde

Development status: Prefeasibility

NGX Ltd.’s (ASX: NGX) Malingunde project in Malawi is in eighth place with 2.733 million tonnes of contained graphite.

#9 Balama Central

Development status: Permitting

Nearly neck and neck with Malingunde, Tirupati Graphite’s (LSE: TGR) Balama Central project in Mozambique is next with 2.7 million tonnes. Flake graphite from Balama Central is of fine grade and used as feedstock for the graphite anode market.

#10 Bunyu

Development status: Feasibility

Rounding out our list is Volt Resources’ (ASX: VRC) Bunyu project in Tanzania with 2.3 million tonnes of contained graphite. The project is 140 km from the deep-water port of Mtwara in the East African country.

More data is at Mining Intelligence.