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[August 2002]
Report Points to Partial Recovery in Graphite Consumption
A new report from market analyst Roskill says that graphite consumption almost halved between 1990 and 1995 at an average fall of 75,000tpa. However, 'The Economics of Natural Graphite (6th edition, 2002)' says that since then graphite has staged a partial recovery to 645,000t in 2000.The reasons behind the downturn included a decline in industrial manufacturing activity, increased refractory efficiency, reduced graphite usage in foundries and refractories and substitution of natural by synthetic graphite.
Graphite usage in battery manufacture shows significant growth potential in both the USA and Asia. There are hopes that fuel cells - in particular - will brighten the longer perspective. Demand from this sector currently accounts for just 12,000tpa to 15,000tpa but some industry observers believe that, in the long term, demand for high quality, high carbon graphite in batteries and fuel cells could increase to 100,000tpa, or 15% of present world production.
The main use for natural graphite is in refractories - accounting for around 45% of consumption - so that future growth will be heavily dependent on the fortunes of the ferrous and non-ferrous, cement and glass industries.
Roskill expects that consumption of graphite-based refractories will be down a further 15% in 2002, at least in the USA. This is owing to refractory plant closures and the difficult steel market.
This report is available at a cost of £1,000/US$2,000/1,750 euro. Email: info@roskill.co.uk
ENDS