GRAPHITE (NATURAL) (Data in thousand metric tons, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use: Natural graphite was not produced domestically in 1995. Natural graphite was consumed by several hundred manufacturing firms, primarily in the Northeastern and Great Lakes regions. The main uses of natural graphite were estimated to be in refractories, 27%; brake linings, 21%; packings, 13%; lubricants, 6%; dressings and molds in foundry operations, 6%; and other, 27%. Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/ Production, mine -- -- -- -- -- Imports for consumption 34 50 52 53 60 Exports 19 20 17 20 30 Consumption, apparent 14 30 35 33 30 Price, imports (average dollars per ton at foreign ports): Flake 970 708 612 629 635 Lump and chip (Sri Lankan) 1,440 1,070 789 709 600 Amorphous (Mexican) 119 125 127 138 150 Stocks, yearend NA NA NA NA NA Employment, mine, mill, and processing plant -- -- -- -- -- Net import reliance1/ as a percent of apparent consumption 100 100 100 100 100 Recycling: None; however, the U.S. Bureau of Mines process to recover flake graphite from kish, a steelmaking waste, has been tested in the pilot-plant stage. Import Sources (1991-94): Mexico, 30%; Canada, 27%; China, 20%; Madagascar, 7%; Brazil, 5%; and other, 11%. Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN2/ 12/31/95 12/31/95 Crystalline flake (not including flake dust) 2504.10.1000 Free 3.6›/kg. Other 2504.90.0000 Free 10% ad val. Depletion Allowance: 22% (Domestic lump and amorphous), 14% (Domestic flake), 14% (Foreign). Government Stockpile: Stockpile Status--9-30-95 Uncommitted Committed Authorized Disposals Material inventory inventory for disposal Jan.-Sept. 95 Sri Lanka, amorphous lump 5 -- -- -- Madagascar, crystal- line flake 14 1 14 1 Other than Sri Lanka and Madagascar crystalline 2 1 2 1 Prepared by Graphite Specialist, (703) 648-7710 GRAPHITE (NATURAL) Events, Trends, and Issues: Graphite was near to supply-demand balance in 1995. Demand was met largely by imports of flake from Canada, China, and Madagascar; lump and chip from Sri Lanka; and amorphous graphite from China and Mexico. Imports of all kinds of graphite were up 13% from those of 1994. Exports were up 50%. World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Mine production Reserves3/ Reserve base3/ 1994 1995e/ United States -- -- -- 1,000 Brazil 29 30 500 1,000 Canada 16 20 1,500 2,700 China 320 320 5,500 310,000 India 75 70 740 740 Korea, South 78 80 3,200 20,000 Madagascar 8 10 980 980 Mexico 44 40 3,100 3,100 Other countries 149 150 5,500 43,000 World total (may be rounded) 719 720 e/ 21,000 380,000 Resources: Domestic resources are relatively small, although the rest of the world's inferred reserve base exceeds 800 million tons of recoverable graphite. Deposits in Alabama, Alaska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas were not economically viable. Substitutes: Substitute materials are more costly and/or do not perform as well as natural graphite for most applications. Manufactured graphite powder, scrap from discarded machined shapes, and calcined petroleum coke compete for use in iron and steel production. Finely ground coke with olivine is a potential competitor in foundry facing operations. Molybdenum disulfide competes as a dry lubricant, but is more sensitive to oxidative conditions. e/Estimated. NA Not available. 1/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. Data on changes in stocks were not available and were assumed to be zero in the calculations. 2/See Appendix B. 3/See Appendix C for definitions. Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996