Abstract:Graphite plays a major leading role in the overall and long-term development of the national economy, and flake graphite is the main product form of natural graphite. In 2019, the output of flake graphite in the mainland was 711,400 tons, in 2020 the output of flake graphite in the mainland was 671,300 tons, in 2021 the output of flake graphite reached 748,400 tons, and by 2022, the output of flake graphite in the mainland reached 710,800 tons, and in terms of demand changes, the demand for flake graphite in the mainland in 2021 was 685,000 tons, and the demand for graphite in the mainland in 2022 was about 734,800 tons.
1. Definitions and Classification
Graphite is a chemically stable non-metallic solid. Graphite is an allotropic form of carbon, which is gray-black, opaque solid, its chemical properties are stable, corrosion-resistant, and it is not easy to react with acids, alkalis and other agents. Graphite can be divided into two categories: natural graphite and artificial graphite. Natural graphite is formed by the transformation of carbon-rich organic matter under the long-term action of high temperature and high pressure geological environment. Natural graphite can be divided into bulk graphite, flake graphite and cryptocrystalline graphite according to different crystalline forms, among which the floatability, lubricity and plasticity of flake graphite are superior to other types of graphite, and its industrial value is the largest. Artificial graphite can be divided into isostatic graphite, molded graphite, and extruded graphite according to the forming method, and can be divided into fine-structure graphite, medium-coarse graphite and electrode graphite according to the granularity of graphite. The stock of natural graphite is limited, and the mining is also limited, so the research and development and application of artificial graphite is developing rapidly, and the largest production in the carbon industry is a variety of artificial graphite products, and the graphite materials used in chemical and other processes are mainly artificial graphite.
Second, industry policies
The policy background of the flake graphite industry in mainland China is profound and diversified, which reflects the government's comprehensive planning and strategic support for the development of the graphite industry. In recent years, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments have issued a series of policy documents, aiming to promote the protective development and efficient utilization of graphite resources, optimize the industrial structure, and encourage technological innovation. These policies not only emphasize the protection of the ecological environment, but also focus on improving the technical level and market competitiveness of the graphite industry. In particular, for the application and expansion of new materials such as graphene, the government has put forward clear guidance and development plans to promote its wide application in optoelectronics, aviation equipment, new energy, biomedicine and other fields. At the same time, by deepening the reform of mineral resources management, the government has further standardized the transfer registration management of graphite and other mineral resources, which provides a strong guarantee for the healthy and orderly development of the industry. To sum up, the policy background of the flake graphite industry in mainland China shows the characteristics of a combination of policy guidance, technological innovation and market expansion, which has laid a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the industry.
Third, the development process
The development process of the flake graphite industry in mainland China has gone through many stages, showing the leapfrog development from resource export to industrial chain formation and technological innovation. From the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China to the end of the 70s of the 20th century, the mainland began to gradually develop and utilize flake graphite resources, and gradually integrated into the international market. From the 80s to the 90s, with the expansion of international trade and the increase in Japan's demand for flake graphite, the mainland flake graphite industry ushered in a period of rapid development, and the export volume reached a peak. After entering the 21st century, driven by scientific and technological innovation, the continental flake graphite industry has gradually formed a complete industrial chain, covering all aspects from mineral mining to the production and application of graphite products. In the future, with the continuous progress of science and technology and the continuous change of market demand, the mainland flake graphite industry will continue to maintain a strong momentum of development and make greater contributions to the national economic and social development.
Fourth, industry risks
1. Policy risk
Most of the graphite products are for new energy vehicle manufacturers, and the national industry policy on new energy vehicles is closely related to the future development of the company. Since 2010, the State Council has taken the new energy vehicle industry as a strategic emerging industry, and many ministries and commissions have successively issued a series of regulations and policies to support, encourage and standardize the development of the new energy vehicle industry. As the central subsidy standard will be gradually reduced, there is also a risk of adjustment of local subsidies, which may adversely affect the sales of new energy vehicle products, thereby affecting industry demand.
2. Technical risks
Lithium battery is one of the main energy devices of new energy vehicles, the rapid development of new energy vehicles has promoted the market expansion of lithium batteries, and power batteries have become a decisive factor to promote the growth of the lithium battery industry. However, in the national long-term planning, the future power battery technology route also includes fuel cells, solid-state batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries and metal-air batteries, etc., if the performance, technical indicators and economy of lithium batteries in the future are surpassed by power batteries of other technical routes, the market share of lithium batteries may be squeezed out or even replaced, thereby affecting the demand of the flake graphite industry.
3. Operational risks
Due to product quality control, new product technology development and supporting capabilities, shipments and timeliness of supply and other factors, generally large lithium battery manufacturers will not easily replace the upstream suppliers who have cooperated for many years, but if there are major adverse changes in the production and operation of major downstream customers, or a large reduction in orders from major customers, it may have a certain adverse impact on the operation of upstream flake graphite suppliers.
4. The risk of fluctuating raw material prices
The raw materials required for the production of natural graphite products are mainly primary graphite, etc., the raw material market supply is sufficient, the industry competition is sufficient, the product price transparency is high, and the supply price is affected by the market supply and demand relationship, showing different degrees of fluctuations. In the future, if the price of raw materials fluctuates violently in a short period of time, and enterprises in the industry cannot effectively transfer the pressure of rising raw material prices to the downstream or cannot offset the pressure of rising costs through technological innovation, they will face the risk of poor operation.
Fifth, the industrial chain
The upstream and downstream of the continental flake graphite industry chain are closely connected, and the upstream mineral exploration and mining ensure the stable supply of graphite resources, while focusing on sustainable development and scientific and technological innovation to improve mining efficiency and resource utilization. The midstream link brings together many well-known enterprises, such as China Graphite Group Co., Ltd. and beiteri New Materials Group Co., Ltd., which process the raw ore into high-quality flake graphite products through exquisite technology and technology. The downstream application field is wide, covering refractories, metallurgy, batteries, lubricants and other industries, especially in the context of the rapid development of new energy vehicles and electronics industry, the demand for flake graphite is growing. The industrial chain shows the prosperity of the flake graphite industry in the mainland, and also highlights its important role in the national economy. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the continuous expansion of market demand, the mainland flake graphite industry chain will continue to optimize and upgrade, provide more high-quality and efficient products and services for related industries, and promote the development of the mainland flake graphite industry to a higher level.
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