The ten leading graphite-producing countries in the world have shifted slightly over the years, but the demand for this valuable natural resource continues to surge. In 2020, graphite was mainly mined in Asia and Africa, with China being the largest global producer. Yet, Chinese production is expected to slow due to enormous amounts of pollution produced from graphite mining and processing. This means that production from other countries around the world is expected to increase over the next few years. Here’s a look at the top 10 graphite-producing countries in the world as of 2023.
1. India: India is the top graphite producing country, rising to cover nearly 15% of global graphite production in 2021. India is home to a variety of graphite mines, many of which are found in the states of Jharkhand and Rajasthan. These mines provide the majority of natural graphite for the country’s booming industrial sector.
2. China: China is the world’s leading graphite consumer, producing over 38% of global supply in 2020. The graphite industry in China relies heavily on exports, which is why the Chinese government has implemented extremely strict environmental regulations for miners. Over the past few years, China’s graphite production has been considerably reduced due to these regulations.
3. Turkey: In 2020, Turkey mined approximately 12% of the global graphite supply. The majority of Turkey’s production comes from two provinces – Batman and Tunceli. The graphite extracted from these mines is mainly used in the manufacturing of batteries and other electrical components.
4. Brazil: Brazil is the fourth-largest graphite producer in the world, manufacturing approximately 10% of global graphite output in 2020. The majority of graphite mined in Brazil comes from the San Derivada mine located in Rio Grande do Sul.
5. North Korea: North Korea is the fifth-largest graphite producer in the world, and the only country in the top ten to not be in Asia or Africa. The country produces nearly 5% of global graphite output each year, and the majority of their production is exported to China and Japan.
6. Madagascar: Madagascar is the sixth-largest graphite producer, producing an estimated 4% of the world’s total output in 2020. Graphite production in Madagascar is mainly concentrated in the southern part of the country, specifically in the Melaky and Anosibe An’Ala regions.
7. Mozambique: Mozambique is the seventh-largest graphite producer in the world, producing an estimated 3% of global graphite supply. The majority of the graphite extracted in Mozambique comes from the Montepuez Graphite Mine, located in the Cabo Delgado region.
8. Vietnam: Vietnam produces around 2% of the world’s graphite output each year, with production mainly concentrated in the northern regions of the country. Over the past few years, Vietnam has seen considerable growth in graphite production due to heavy investments in the sector.
9. Canada: Graphite is one of Canada’s key natural resources, and the country produces an estimated 2% of global graphite output. Most of the graphite mined in Canada comes from the province of Ontario, which is home to several graphite mines.
10. South Korea: South Korea produces around 1.6% of the world’s graphite output each year. The majority of graphite mined in South Korea is of a higher quality than graphite mined in other countries, which is why it is often exported to other countries.
The growth of graphite mining and production in these countries is expected to continue over the next few years. As graphite’s use in technology continues to rise, so too will the demand for this valuable natural resource.