This article is selected from the journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, China Engineering Science, Issue 3, 2022
Authors: Sun Chuanyao, Shen Shifu, Wang Wenli, Yuan Guohui, Huang Zhenghong, Zhang Yihe
Source:Research on high-quality development strategy of graphite resources and materials industry[J].Strategic Study of Chinese Academy of Engineering,2022,24(3):29-39.)
Editor's note
Graphite is an elemental element of carbon, with a hexagonal layered structure, which has good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, lubricity, high temperature resistance, thermal shock resistance and chemical stability. Graphite is widely used in traditional industries, but also widely used in new energy, electronic information, aviation, aerospace, nuclear energy, military and other industries, by the European Union, the United States, Australia and other countries and regions as a key resource, is an important material to support the development of strategic emerging industries in the mainland.
The research team of Academician Sun Chuanyao of the Chinese Academy of Engineering published the article "Research on the High-quality Development Strategy of Graphite Resources and Materials Industry" in the third issue of the journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, China Engineering Science, 2022. This paper analyzes the needs of the high-quality development of graphite resources and materials industry, summarizes the development status of graphite resources and materials industry in mainland China, analyzes the potential and main problems faced by the high-quality development of graphite resources and materials industry in mainland China, and puts forward the goals of the next development of graphite resources and materials industry in mainland China. On this basis, this paper puts forward measures for the high-quality development of graphite resources and materials industry, including the layout of technological innovation system centered on graphite deep processing, optimizing resource allocation, accelerating the development of green graphite enterprises and green graphite mines, strengthening platform capacity building, consolidating the technological innovation foundation of industrial chain and supply chain, and focusing on breaking through the exclusive application of graphene's unique physical properties to avoid excessive publicity. The paper suggests that the database of the whole graphite industry chain and supply chain in mainland China should be improved, a long-term policy mechanism should be established to support the high-quality development of the graphite industry in mainland China, resource integration and the construction of "International Graphite Valley" should be accelerated, and the innovation ability platform should be planned and strengthened.
I. Preface
Graphite is an elemental element of carbon, with a hexagonal layered structure, which has good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, lubricity, high temperature resistance, thermal shock resistance and chemical stability. Graphite is not only widely used in traditional industries, but also widely used in new energy, electronic information, aviation, aerospace, nuclear energy, military industry and other industries, known as an important raw material to support the development of strategic emerging industries in the mainland in the 21st century, and is listed as a key resource by the European Union, the United States, Australia and other countries and regions. The International Energy Agency predicts that graphite demand will increase by about 25 times by 2040 compared to 2021 in a sustainable development scenario. Graphite is divided into two types: crystalline graphite and cryptocrystalline graphite, and under the current technical and economic conditions, crystalline graphite has a wider use, higher resource value and strategic position. The mainland is a big country in graphite resources, and it is one of the few countries in the world that has both crystalline graphite and cryptocrystalline graphite. In 2016, China's National Mineral Resources Plan (2016-2020) listed crystalline graphite as one of the strategic minerals.
In recent years, the structure of the natural graphite industry in mainland China has been continuously optimized, the production technology level has been significantly improved, graphite concentrate and primary processing output has long been in the first place in the world, and the world's most complete industrial chain and supply chain has been built, but it is also facing many challenges such as resource development and raw material production, overcapacity of most products, insufficient effective supply of high-end products, weak innovation driving force, and weak ability to resist risks. The proportion of deep processing is low, the production equipment is backward, and the cost of production factors is high.
In the future, with the rapid increase in the proportion of graphite consumption in strategic emerging industries, the development of high-end graphite industry is facing new opportunities, the mainland should lay out in advance in the field of high-end graphite materials, and continuously improve its scientific and technological innovation capabilities; pay more attention to the safety of graphite resources, accelerate the construction of core competitiveness of the industry, and prevent the impact of market security on graphite supply risks. In addition, under the guidance of new preparation technology, the high-end application of graphite will continue to expand, which is called a new technology mineral, and the development idea of "carbon reduction" to develop natural graphite lithium-ion battery anode materials (referred to as anode materials) is proposed.
At present, the global graphite industry is in a period of reshaping the industrial chain and supply chain, and the development is facing new opportunities, and the mainland graphite industry needs to seize the important juncture of high-quality development. To this end, this paper analyzes the high-quality development needs of graphite resources and industries in mainland China, summarizes the development status and main problems, and puts forward policy suggestions for the optimization of graphite industry structure, technological upgrading and high-quality development of industrial chain and supply chain in mainland China.
2. The high-quality development needs of graphite resources and materials industry
(1) Analysis of the structure of the natural graphite industry chain
The natural graphite industry chain mainly includes four stages: graphite resource development, deep processing, product application and waste management, corresponding to raw material products, material grade products, application products, and comprehensive resource utilization product chains. Figure 1 shows the natural graphite industry chain and product chain map.
Fig.1 Map of natural graphite industry chain and product chain
The upstream of the graphite product chain is the resource end, which mainly refers to the graphite concentrate that can be directly used or processed and reused through mining and beneficiation. Graphite primary processing is a processing process that uses graphite concentrate as raw material, is prepared by less complex physical or chemical methods, and needs to be reprocessed before it can be used as a material. Graphite primary processing products include high-carbon graphite (excluding high-carbon graphite obtained by mineral processing), high-purity graphite, expandable graphite, spherical graphite, steelmaking carburizer, etc. Graphite deep processing is a processing process that uses graphite concentrate or primary processed products as raw materials and is prepared through a more complex process to provide materials for terminal equipment, devices, processes, etc. Graphite deep processing products include cutting-edge products, high-end products, low-end products and other material-grade products. Graphite application products are devices, devices, tools, materials, etc. prepared from graphite primary processing or deep processing products. Graphite waste management mainly refers to the recycling of graphite-containing waste.
(2) The high-quality development needs of graphite resources and materials industry
1. The need to develop green mining and build green mines
Under the guidance of the "two mountains" theory, vigorously developing green mining and building green mines is an inevitable requirement for the development of the times. The annual mining of graphite ore in mainland China exceeds 1×107 t, and there are more than 50 mineral processing enterprises. In 2008, the mainland put forward clear requirements for the development of green mining, and determined the strategic goal of basically establishing a green mine pattern by 2020. In 2010, the mainland issued guidance on the development of green mining and the construction of green mines, requiring the development of green mining and the construction of green mines as an important starting point to ensure the healthy and sustainable development of the mining industry, and to promote the transformation of mining development mode through the construction of green mines. In 2018, the Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Code for the Construction of Green Mines in the Non-metallic Mineral Industry (DZ/T 0312-2018), which was the first batch of national green mine construction industry standards issued in the world at that time, marking that the construction of green mines in the mainland has entered a new stage and playing a strong role in supporting and guaranteeing the green development of the mineral industry in the mainland. According to incomplete statistics, there are still very few graphite mining enterprises in the mainland that can meet the standards of green mine construction, and the green mine construction of the entire industry has not yet fully met the requirements of national high-quality development. To this end, the graphite mining industry urgently needs to further improve the level and ability of green mining and green mine construction to achieve high-quality development.
2. The need for the development of strategic emerging industries
In the 21st century, with the continuous development of graphite material processing and application technology, the physicochemical, electrothermal and other characteristics of graphite have been fully exerted, and the use of high-performance graphite products such as nuclear graphite, spherical graphite, high-purity graphite, expanded graphite, flexible graphite, graphene, and nano graphite has increased year by year in strategic emerging industries such as nuclear energy, new energy, energy storage, energy conservation and environmental protection, aviation, aerospace, biomedicine, electronic information, new materials, and high-end equipment. Indispensable and important materials for high-end machinery, nuclear reactors, etc. Table 1 summarizes the main applications of graphite in the field of strategic emerging industries in mainland China. From the analysis in Table 1, it can be seen that graphite has broad application prospects in the fields of information technology, high-end equipment, new materials, biomedicine, new energy vehicles, new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, and is an indispensable material for the development of the above fields. The high-quality development of strategic emerging industries in mainland China and the high-quality development of graphite industry have formed a relationship of mutual promotion and constraint, and strategic emerging industries urgently need high-quality development of graphite industry.
Table 1 Main applications of graphite in strategic emerging industries in mainland China
3. The need for supply-side structural reforms
In the context of the current rapid advancement of the country's supply-side structural reform, the graphite industry needs high-quality development, improve product quality, realize high-end product types, solve the "stuck neck" technology and products, better meet the higher needs of national economic development, and completely change the situation that the mainland graphite products are low in output and high in high, some products are seriously controlled by others, and the industry is at the middle and low end of the value chain; mechanization and reduction" level, strengthen technological innovation.
In addition, the global graphite supply side is undergoing structural changes, and the global graphite industry is in a period of reshaping the industrial chain and supply chain. Europe and the United States and other countries and regions generally attach importance to the development of graphite resources and materials. The European Union announced that graphene will be included in the "future emerging flagship project", and plans to invest 1 billion euros in the next 10 years; Japan will reserve graphite as an important strategic resource; the United States will list graphite as a key mineral raw material for high-tech industries and implement legislative protection; a large number of high-quality graphite resources have been newly discovered in Africa, and the focus of global graphite resource development has gradually shifted from China to Africa. The development of the graphite industry in the mainland is facing new challenges, and it is necessary to solve the long-standing problems of low-quality development, low-level construction and poor innovation ability in the graphite industry in the mainland with high-quality development.
3. The development status of graphite resources and industries in mainland China
(1) Overview of high-quality graphite resources in mainland China
Statistics from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) show that the global graphite reserves in 2020 were 3.2×108 t, of which 0.9××108 t in Turkey, 0.73108 t in China, and 0.7×108 t in Brazil, the graphite reserves of the three countries together accounted for about 72.81% of the global reserves, and the graphite reserves of Madagascar, Tanzania and Mozambique increased rapidly to 0.68×108 t, which is the fastest growing region in the world. As of 2019, the proven graphite reserves in mainland China are 5.02×108 t, of which the proven reserves of crystalline graphite resources are 5.29×108 t, and as of 2020, the crystalline graphite reserves in mainland China are about 0.52×108 t.
According to the metallogenic type, graphite deposits are divided into three categories: regional metamorphic type, contact metamorphic type and magmatic hydrothermal type, and according to the degree of metamorphism, regional metamorphic graphite deposits are divided into two subcategories: deep metamorphic type and shallow metamorphic type. The graphite minerals in the regional deep metamorphic graphite deposits are large in crystalline, mainly in medium \u2012 coarse graphite flakes, with better application performance and wider application fields. The proven regional deep metamorphic graphite reserves in mainland China are mainly distributed in Heilongjiang, Shandong, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Henan and other places. As of 2019, the regional resources of deep metamorphic crystalline graphite in major provinces (autonomous regions) are about 2.93×108 t (see Table 2). Table 3 shows the newly discovered major large-scale regional metamorphic crystalline graphite deposits and their retained resources.
Table 2 Estimation of deep metamorphic crystalline graphite resources in major provinces (autonomous regions) in mainland China in 2019
Table 3 Major large-scale regional metamorphic crystalline graphite deposits and their resources newly discovered in mainland China in recent years
(2) The development status of the graphite industry in mainland China
In terms of graphite concentrate production, the mainland is the world's largest graphite concentrate producer, accounting for about 60% of the world's total graphite concentrate production. At present, there are about 50 graphite mining and beneficiation enterprises in mainland China, with a total concentrate capacity of about 1.8×106 t, and the enterprises generally have problems such as small production scale, low graphite recovery rate, serious loss of large scales, low level of automation, poor equipment level, serious environmental pollution, and low labor productivity.
In terms of graphite primary processing, the mainland is the main producer of graphite primary processing products, accounting for about 80% of the world's total output, the primary processing enterprises have a large production scale and advanced technology, and the preparation technology of expandable graphite and spherical graphite is at the world's leading level. According to incomplete statistics, in 2020, the output of continental spherical graphite was about 1.1×105 t, the output of expandable graphite was about 5×104 t, the output of expanded graphite was about 5×104 t, the output of high-purity graphite was about 5×104 t, the output of high-carbon graphite was about 5×104 t, and the output of steelmaking carburizer was about 2×105 t.
In terms of deep processing of graphite, there are various types of deep processing products, and the products with large output include anode materials, diamond, flexible graphite, fluoride graphite, graphite emulsion, micronized graphite, pencil leads, lubricants, abrasives, conductive materials, graphene, etc. The mainland is the world's main producer of anode materials, diamond, flexible graphite, micronized graphite, graphene, etc., of which the output of anode materials accounts for more than 70% of the global total, the output of diamond accounts for 95% of the global total, and the output of graphite-containing magnesia-carbon bricks and carbon bricks accounts for about 60% of the global total. According to incomplete statistics, in 2020, the output of anode materials of graphite deep processing products in mainland China was about 6×104 t, the output of diamond was about 4×103 t, the output of flexible graphite was about 2×103 t, the output of micronized graphite was about 5×103 t, and the output of carbonaceous refractories was about 2×106 t.
In terms of graphite application products, the mainland is an important producer of application products. Continent's lithium-ion battery production ranks first in the world, with an output of 324 GW·h in 2021 (about 14% of the products use natural graphite as anode material), accounting for about 70% of the world's total output, and the output value of the whole lithium battery industry has exceeded 600 billion yuan;
In terms of graphite waste management, Continental attaches great importance to the recycling value of graphite-containing wastes such as magnesia-carbon bricks for steelmaking, aluminum for continuous casting, graphite insulation bricks, anode materials, brake pads, thermal insulation materials, etc. Most of the waste graphite refractories in mainland China have been recycled for low-value utilization, and the recycling of waste power batteries is in the early stage of industrialization, and the recycling of waste graphite has also been carried out but has not yet been industrialized. Overall, the technical level and comprehensive utilization level of graphite waste management in mainland China are still low, and they need to be further improved.
In addition, there are still some graphite technologies and products in the mainland that are "stuck" by foreign countries, mainly large-scale graphite and dense block graphite on the resource side, and ultra-pure graphite and high-performance fluoride graphite on the material side.
(3) Analysis of the development level of the graphite industry in mainland China
The development level of the graphite industry in mainland China at this stage is shown in Table 4. The comprehensive evaluation results show that: (1) the comprehensive index of graphite resources is good, the resource security is high, the green development index is low, the comprehensive energy consumption and solid waste emission are high, the international competitiveness index is high, the industrial concentration score is low, the mining technology level is low, and the beneficiation technology level is at the world's leading level. (2) The comprehensive index of graphite material products at the manufacturing end is poor. The import of high-end products is mainly concentrated in the United States, Japan, Germany and other countries, the energy consumption and wastewater discharge per unit of product are high, the international competitiveness index is low, the level of internationalization is low, the R&D investment is low, and the core patents are few. (3) The comprehensive index of the recycling end is low. The main recycled products are waste refractories, and the scientific and technological level index is low, and few studies involve the secondary recovery of graphite resources.
Table 4 Index system of high-quality development level of China's graphite industry
Fourth, the high-quality development potential of the graphite industry in mainland China and the main problems it faces
(1) Analysis of the high-quality development potential of the graphite industry in mainland China
At present, the global graphite industry is in a period of reshaping the industrial chain and supply chain, which is mainly manifested in the rapid increase in the development of graphite resources in Africa, which poses a huge threat to the development of graphite resources in the mainland; new application fields and products have changed the consumption structure of graphite; Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea and other countries and regions have listed graphite as a key material to accelerate the resource layout and industrial layout in the world. Under the new situation, the mainland graphite industry must take the road of high-quality development and has great development potential.
(1) The mainland is rich in graphite resources, especially the regional deep metamorphic type large flake graphite ore resource reserves, with high-quality development of resource advantages and resource guarantee capabilities.
(2) The mainland has a good graphite industry foundation, and is the only country in the world with a complete graphite industry chain, with mineral processing technology, primary processing technology, and deep processing technology of main products at the world's leading level, and the output of graphite concentrate, primary processing products, and deep processing products are all in the first place in the world, with an industrial foundation for high-quality development.
(3) The focus of graphite consumption has shifted to the field of new energy, and the mainland has developed rapidly in the field of new energy, which has the endogenous power to guide the high-quality development of the graphite industry.
(4) In the field of new technologies, the mainland has strong R&D capabilities, and has made progress in high-purity graphite, flexible graphite, fluoride graphite, medical graphite materials, nuclear graphite, etc., and has a good research foundation.
(5) The mainland has listed graphite as a strategic mineral resource, and since the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan", it has continued to support the research and development of related technologies, and the national and local governments have continued to support the high-quality development of the graphite industry, laying a good policy foundation for the high-quality development of the graphite industry.
(2) The main problems faced by the high-quality development of the graphite industry in mainland China
1. The graphite industry as a whole is still at the middle and low end of the value chain, and the support for strategic emerging industries is insufficient
Graphite products in mainland China are mainly graphite concentrate, primary processing products, although in recent years the anode material growth is fast, but its application performance has not yet met the practical application requirements of power batteries, such as natural graphite-based anode materials are mainly used in low-speed electric products and small-capacity electric products, the proportion of lithium-ion battery anode materials is decreasing year by year; High-end graphite emulsion is also heavily dependent on imports, and the development of new products is seriously lagging behind. In terms of the development of material technology, most graphite products are still in the middle and low end and are used in traditional industries, the physical and chemical properties of graphite have not been fully utilized, and its support for strategic emerging industries is insufficient, especially the contribution to intelligent technology and materials.
2. There is still a big gap between the graphite mining and dressing industry and high-quality development
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the graphite mining and dressing industry in mainland China has gradually moved towards a benign development path, but there are still problems such as serious overcapacity, low resource recovery rate, insufficient resource value utilization, low labor productivity, and serious lag in the construction of green mining system. At present, the utilization rate of graphite beneficiation capacity in mainland China is about 50%, and the operating rate of most enterprises is insufficient. Although this is related to the fact that the main graphite mines in the mainland are located in the alpine region, it is also related to the serious vicious competition in the graphite industry in the mainland, the unreasonable planning and design, and the lack of long-term development planning for the graphite industry at the national and local levels. In addition, the graphite recovery rate of the mainland graphite mining and dressing industry is less than 80%, the loss rate of large flake graphite is about 50%, the construction of some graphite mine tailings ponds is not standardized, the construction of green mines is basically blank, the level of automation and intelligent control of the mining and dressing process is at the low level of the domestic mining and dressing industry, environmental pollution is still relatively serious, and there is still a big gap between the whole industry and high-quality development.
3. Poor ability to innovate in science and technology
Although a number of institutions and enterprises engaged in graphite research and development, production and application have emerged in the mainland, there are no scientific research institutions (except graphene) with graphite resource development technology and graphite deep processing technology as the main research direction, nor are there graphite production enterprises with strong and systematic research and development capabilities, and the technological innovation ability of the entire industry is scattered and the innovation ability is poor. The lack of professional research institutions is the key problem that causes the overall technical level of the mainland graphite industry to be low, the heavy dependence on foreign countries for high value-added products, and the slow extension of the industrial chain.
4. The pace of export-oriented development of graphite enterprises is not resolute
Compared with the metal ore industry, the pace of "going out" development of the mainland graphite industry is not resolute. Due to the problems of power resources, shortage of skilled workers, and distance from the place where the products are applied in most of the foreign graphite projects, most of the graphite production enterprises in the mainland have the inertia of export-oriented development. At present, only one private enterprise in China has actually participated in the African graphite resource development project. However, developed countries in Europe and the United States have adopted the policy of giving priority to the development and utilization of foreign graphite resources and protecting their own resources, such as the United States, although graphite resources are very rich, but have not been developed. The mainland has long accounted for 80% of the world's graphite concentrate trade volume, and the graphite concentrate production accounts for 65% of the world's total, and in the long run, this development method is not conducive to the protection of mainland graphite resources.
5. The graphene industry has encountered development bottlenecks
In recent years, graphene, as a new material, has attracted great attention from countries around the world. Mainland China is also very concerned about the development of the graphene industry, and has rapidly promoted graphene-related research and industrial technological progress, but there are also some problems.
(1) There are many R&D platforms and R&D bases, but the effective operation is insufficient. In recent years, local governments, enterprises, and research units have paid full attention to the development of graphene materials, and many places and units have taken the graphene industry as the focus of future development, and graphene R&D bases, R&D platforms, R&D centers, innovation centers, and industrial parks have sprung up in various places. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 50 such R&D platforms and R&D bases in mainland China, but only about 60% of them have actually carried out substantial industrialization or R&D business, and the effective operation rate is not high.
(2) Most of the participating enterprises are small and medium-sized enterprises, the overall scale of enterprises is small, and the competitiveness of the graphene industry is insufficient. As of the end of 2020, there are more than 20,000 domestic enterprises engaged in graphene business, mainly engaged in graphene-related technology research and development, equipment manufacturing, product manufacturing, application promotion, investment, inspection and testing, technical services, etc., there are not many enterprises that can really continue to carry out graphene-related business, and there are very few enterprises that can achieve large-scale production; 90% are small and medium-sized enterprises or start-ups, and there are few leading enterprises.
(3) The transformation of research results is insufficient, and the industrial application is hindered. In terms of graphene, the mainland is the country with the largest number of published papers and patent applications in the world, but the industrialization conversion rate of patents and technologies is very low. In terms of graphene preparation, thin film graphene has not yet entered the industrialization, and although powder graphene has been industrialized, it is generally a multilayer graphene nanosheet, with many crystallization defects, large quality differences, and no obvious graphene characteristics. At present, although graphene conductive materials and heat dissipation materials have been industrialized, there are controversies in the society about the effect of graphene health products and heating products, the role and safety of graphene. Graphene supercapacitors, sensors, display materials, composite materials, and absorbers are still far from industrialization.
(4) Product standards and testing standards in the field of graphene cannot meet the actual needs. Although in recent years, the research on product standards and testing methods related to graphene has been increased at home and abroad, and some standards and methods have been introduced, but due to the wide range of research fields and products involved in graphene, the technical difficulty of accurate detection, the current product standards and testing standards in the field of graphene cannot meet the actual needs.
(5) Research overheating, overuse of the graphene concept for hype. Strictly speaking, only single-layer graphene can exhibit the intrinsic properties of graphene, and the graphene properties of "multi-layer graphene" will be greatly weakened. As a new material, the relevant understanding and application of graphene have just begun, and it is still necessary to break through the "killer" level of technology to realize the preparation, characterization and application of graphene products that can highlight the intrinsic properties of graphene. At present, there is a widespread phenomenon in the mainland that multilayer graphite or nano-graphite is called graphene, and the products, research, applications, and patents in the field of graphene are mixed, and there is the problem of overheating of research, and there is also the problem of excessive hype by the government, industry, and media.
5. Goals and development measures for the high-quality development of graphite resources and industries in mainland China
(1) Development goals
The overall goal is to intensify the exploration of major metallogenic belts and high-quality graphite resources to ensure the long-term safety of graphite resources in the mainland; A large-scale graphite enterprise group with strong innovation ability and international influence; improve the comprehensive utilization rate and value of resources, and greatly improve the retention rate of green mines; take enterprises and large-scale R&D platforms as the main body of innovation, rapidly develop graphite deep processing technology in mainland China to meet the development needs of strategic emerging industries in mainland China; build 3~5 national graphite industrial parks and "International Graphite Valley" as soon as possible on the basis of the existing graphite base.
By 2030, the ratio of graphite resources to storage and consumption (the ratio of reserves to consumption) will reach 70; integrate graphite resources in Luobei, Heilongjiang, Jixi, Inner Mongolia and other places, cultivate 2~5 large-scale graphite enterprises; the comprehensive utilization rate of resources will reach 90%, and the proportion of green mines will reach 80%; compared with 2020, the comprehensive energy consumption will be reduced by 20%; overcome a number of key common technologies, build 1~2 engineering technology centers above the provincial level, and build 3~There are 5 graphite industrial parks above the provincial level, and the output value of deep-processed products accounts for 70%.
By 2035, the ratio of graphite resource storage and consumption will reach 100, 2~5 large-scale graphite groups with international influence will be cultivated, the comprehensive utilization rate of resources will reach 93%, and the proportion of green mines will reach 100%, and the comprehensive energy consumption will be reduced by 35% compared with 2020, a number of key common technologies will be overcome, 1~2 national engineering technology centers and key laboratories will be built, 3~5 national graphite industrial parks will be built, and 2~3 "international graphite valleys" will be built, and the output value of deep-processed products will account for 85% , deep-processed products reached 3,000 kinds.
(2) Development measures
1. Focusing on graphite deep processing, lay out a technological innovation system
Focusing on the "double carbon" strategy and additive plan, with graphite deep processing as the center of the industrial chain, and relying on key graphite enterprises and large-scale scientific research institutions, the medium and long-term graphite industry chain and supply chain technology innovation roadmap will be formulated. Focus on the layout of new energy material preparation technology, high-performance lithium-fluorine battery preparation technology, biomedical graphite material preparation technology, large flake graphite efficient recovery technology, low-pollution graphite purification technology and other key projects and projects; focus on the "big country heavy equipment", aviation, aerospace, national defense and military industry and other key equipment required for sealing, lubrication, high temperature resistance and other materials layout key projects, increase policy and financial support for cutting-edge technology, basic research, and build a technological innovation system from the resource end to the material end.
Focusing on the construction of "International Graphite Valley", it is necessary to focus on the layout and support the construction of the national Heilongjiang Hegang Crystalline Graphite Industrial Park (District), Heilongjiang Jixi Crystalline Graphite Industrial Park (District), Qingdao Graphite New Material Industrial Park (District), etc.;
2. Optimize the allocation of resources and accelerate the development of green graphite enterprises and green graphite mines
Graphite deposits in mainland China are mainly distributed in the North China Massif, the Yangtze Massif, the Tianshan-Xingmeng Orogenic Belt and the Qinqi-Kunming Orogenic Belt. At present, the exploration resources should be optimized, key prospecting areas should be demarcated, and the prospecting and exploration efforts of large-scale and super-large high-quality graphite minerals should be strengthened; the supply-side structural reform of the graphite industry should be accelerated, the backward production capacity should be eliminated, the small and medium-sized production capacity should be restricted, high-quality resources should be integrated, the development of large-scale graphite enterprises should be given priority, and leading enterprises should be actively cultivated; the development of foreign graphite minerals should be encouraged, and the graphite resources of the mainland should be developed in a planned manner to avoid blind expansion of production capacity; the standards for green graphite mines and graphite green products should be formulated, and the construction of green mines should be accelerated, and the certification of green graphite products should be carried outOrganize relevant experts to focus on graphite purification technology, clarify the technical route that can be promoted, and determine the key research and development direction.
3. Strengthen platform capacity building and consolidate the foundation of technological innovation in the industrial chain and supply chain
Focusing on the efficient utilization and deep processing of graphite resources, relying on the development and utilization base of graphite resources in mainland China or large-scale production enterprises and scientific research units with good research foundation and strong innovation ability, the construction of national and provincial research and development platforms.
4. Focus on breaking through the exclusive application of graphene's unique physical properties to avoid excessive publicity
In view of the problem that the global graphene application technology has not yet made substantial breakthroughs, on the basis of systematically studying the development roadmap of graphene application technology, the application technology, high-end application fields, directions and products that can give full play to the unique physical properties of graphene are mainly laid out;
6. Countermeasures and suggestions
(1) Improve the database of the whole graphite industry chain and supply chain in mainland China
Coordinate the technical strength of domestic graphite geology, resource exploration, resource development, deep processing, etc., and establish a database based on geological information, the genesis of ore deposits, resources, mineralogical characteristics, optionality, mining and selection information, deep processing information, and main applications.
(2) Establish a long-term policy mechanism to support the high-quality development of the graphite industry in the mainland
It is suggested that the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology should establish a national graphite expert committee to formulate a graphite technology innovation roadmap around the "double carbon" strategy and additive plan, focusing on graphite flake protection technology and efficient recovery technology, high-efficiency, energy-saving and environmentally friendly purification technology, graphite deep processing technology, new energy material preparation technology, biomedical material preparation technology, etc.;
(3) Accelerate the integration of resources and the construction of "International Graphite Valley".
The National Development and Reform Commission should focus on the layout and support the construction of national Hegang Crystalline Graphite Industrial Park in Heilongjiang Province, Jixi Crystalline Graphite Industrial Park in Heilongjiang Province, and Qingdao Graphite New Material Industrial Park in Qingdao City, so as to promote the construction of "International Graphite Valley" as soon as possible.
(4) Plan and lay out the innovation ability platform and strengthen talent training
It is recommended to focus on the layout and support the construction of national key laboratories, key laboratories of the Ministry of Education, national engineering technology centers, etc., Heilongjiang Province, Shandong Province, Shenzhen and other provincial and municipal innovation platforms, support and encourage the existing non-metallic mineral colleges and universities, scientific research units, innovation platforms and other full-time research and development teams.
(5) Strengthen supervision and management and restrict the export of low-end graphite products
It is suggested that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment should formulate a supervision and management system for the resource recovery rate, output and environmental protection of graphite mining and dressing enterprises, and supervise the compliance operation of enterprises in accordance with the "Graphite Industry Standard Conditions";
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About the Author
Sun Chuanyao
He is an expert in mineral processing engineering and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
He is mainly engaged in the research of mineral processing and comprehensive utilization of complex polymetallic mineral resources.
Note: The paper reflects the progress of research results and does not represent the views of Chinese Journal of Engineering Science.