Let’s talk about “refractory materials and natural flake graphite

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz online about the story of natural flake graphite. Those seeking to increase their online traffic are flocking to it, and we also see many "fabricated and fabricated" short videos. The author has experienced the horror and severity of "internet bullying". Since this matter is related to refractory materials, it is necessary for me to guide and introduce. Let's learn about natural flake graphite and its application in the refractory materials industry, and also have a correct understanding of Putei Company.

1. The refractory materials industry in China is very important. Before talking about natural flake graphite, I would like to proudly say that the refractory materials industry is very important! Refractory materials are indispensable basic materials for the development of high-temperature industries such as steel, building materials, non-ferrous metals, machinery, chemicals, and power. It is also a basic supporting material across multiple industries and fields. We can say that without refractory materials, there would be no modern manufacturing industry. Moreover, China's refractory materials industry holds a prominent position in the global industrial chain. Over the years, China has been the world's largest producer and consumer of refractory materials, accounting for more than 65% of the global share. China exports nearly 5 million tons of refractory raw materials and about 200,000 tons of refractory products each year. China's refractory materials are indispensable in the international market.

2. The refractory materials industry is one of the most important "customers" of natural flake graphite. Refractory materials are the first major "traditional users" of natural flake graphite. It is the key refractory raw material for obtaining excellent performance in carbon-based refractory materials. Since the 1970s, carbon-containing refractory materials have widely used natural flake graphite. Blast furnace for iron smelting, steel-making converters, electric furnace refractory bricks, magnesium-carbon bricks, aluminum-carbon bricks, continuous casting nozzles, slides, steel ladle linings, high-temperature kiln refractory castings, refractory coatings, etc., all use natural flake graphite. This is not a new story. Before 2018, the refractory materials industry was the first major "consumer customer" of natural flake graphite. According to incomplete statistics in the industry, the refractory materials industry consumed nearly 500,000 tons of "natural flake graphite" per year. Among them, the export volume of natural flake graphite was between 60,000 and 120,000 tons per year. Exporting "natural flake graphite" is not a new business. After 2018, due to the vigorous development of the electric vehicle industry, the battery anode material jumped to become the first major customer of "natural flake graphite", and the refractory materials industry became the second major customer. In some years, the actual consumption of the refractory materials industry was comparable to that of the anode material industry, and sometimes it was difficult to distinguish the winner.

3. Natural flake graphite has extremely wide applications. Graphite is naturally formed in the earth's crust. Natural flake graphite, due to its complete crystallization, large flakes, excellent conductivity, good lubricity, high-temperature resistance, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance, is a high-quality and necessary non-metallic mineral raw material. From an industrial perspective, natural flake graphite is mainly used for lithium battery anode materials, graphene raw materials, flexible graphite seals, carbon-containing refractory materials, lubricants, brushes, graphite products, etc. To understand the specific fields of application of natural flake graphite, one can first look at the classification of natural graphite. Natural graphite is divided into flake graphite, block graphite, and cryptocrystalline graphite (also known as soil graphite) in three types. Natural flake graphite is the best crystallization, highest value, and most widely used type of natural graphite.

Table 1 lists the classification of natural graphite.

(TABLE 1)

If you need to remember quickly, you can arrange it in this simple way:

1. Flake Graphite: It has a silver luster, good layered structure, the highest lubricity, conductivity, plasticity, and value, and the widest range of uses.

2. Block Graphite: It is black and shiny, dense in quality, brittle, and rarely used.

3. Powder Graphite: It is dark gray and fine soil-like, low in price, and used in pencils and brake pads, etc.

China is one of the major countries in the production of natural flake graphite. The main production areas are in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shandong in China. Flake graphite is widely present worldwide, and Canada, Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Russia, and South Africa are also among the countries that supply a large amount to the international market. Due to the advanced beneficiation technology and processing technology in China, along with a complete industrial chain, China has certain influence in the international market of natural flake graphite in recent years. However, according to industry insiders, when China restricts the export of natural flake graphite to some countries such as the United States and Japan, the operating rates of graphite beneficiation factories in other countries have significantly increased, and Brazil, Mozambique, Madagascar, etc. have significantly increased their market share.

In the graphite family, there is also artificial graphite. It is mainly made from petroleum coke, asphalt coke, etc., and undergoes high-temperature heat treatment above 2000°C to convert amorphous carbon into graphite. Its characteristics are high carbon content, usually above 99%, and the ash content is generally no more than 0.5%, but its crystallization degree is not as good as natural flake graphite, and the production process is relatively complex.

Artificial graphite is high-purity and controllable, and can be used for high-end electrodes and lithium battery materials, etc. It is also used in refractory materials in blast furnace carbon bricks. Fourth, Pumei Co., Ltd. is an outstanding refractory material enterprise in the industry.

Pumei Co., Ltd. is an outstanding leading enterprise in the refractory material industry in the industry, and its domestic and international market positions have always been at the forefront of the industry. As a leading enterprise, Pumei Co., Ltd. has a full industrial chain layout from its own mine mining to product research and development, production, sales, and services, and can provide customers with a package of refractory material system solutions. It has already provided high-quality products and perfect services to more than 70 of the world's top 100 steel companies. It is also one of the top ten refractory material enterprises in the world. Pumei Co., Ltd. is also the earliest enterprise in the industry to layout overseas business. In 2024, the company's overseas sales revenue was 145,485.41 million yuan, ranking first in the industry for consecutive years, and its leading position in export has continued to strengthen.

Recently, Pumei Co., Ltd. announced that it has recently received a "Indictment" issued by the People's Procuratorate of Yingkou City, Liaoning Province. The prosecutor believes that the company and its related personnel are suspected of violating customs regulations and using false names to evade the export license supervision of dual-use items and technologies. They exported natural flake graphite illegally, a total of 1243.55 tons, with a case value of 598.47 million yuan.

In my opinion, this is an accidental event, and the case value is 5.9 million yuan. The export target was Pumei Co., Ltd.'s wholly-owned subsidiary in the United States, and the natural flake graphite exported was all used in the magnesium carbon brick production line of the American subsidiary. I believe that the law will eventually give a fair punishment result for this incident, and Pumei Co., Ltd. will also learn from this and draw lessons, generalize from this incident to avoid similar incidents from happening again, and legally operate its export business. There is no need to say more. Silence is self-clearing. Legal matters are left to the law, and the outcome of the matter will eventually be determined. Writing this article hopes that "online short video" practitioners should improve their professional level and not make random comments. Some people are accustomed to viewing the world from a "power politics" perspective or a "conspiracy" perspective, rejecting the accidental thinking inertia, using the anxiety of vulnerable individuals to compensate for emotions, making many comments after this incident unbearable. I also hope readers to carefully distinguish. Our industry enterprises should also draw lessons from this, operate legally and in compliance, and not sacrifice the big picture for the sake of small gains.

Source of information: Refractory materials