Graphite Wars

The Trillion Dollar Battery Race Has A Big Problem - Seite 3

Also in December, Graphex Technologies (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Graphex Group) signed an MOU with private mining outfit Reforme Group Pty Ltd to provide raw materials for Graphex's Michigan facility. Again, in January, Graphex announced an LOI with Ontario-based Gratomic Inc for more raw supplies. 

But the biggest deal yet came on August 1, when Graphex Technologies signed an agreement with Syrah Resources' Balama graphite operation in Mozambique, further diversifying the raw materials supply chain. Syrah's Balama graphite operation is the largest in existence outside of China, with a production capacity of 350,000 metric tons per year. 

The significance of this most recent deal is that it adds the final de-risking element for Graphex Group's raw material supply question—and without any reliance on China. 

"The agreement with Syrah could change the graphite game in North America," DeMaio said in a statement on August 1. "Connecting Syrah's volume without proven experience and ongoing build-out of domestic processing capacity in North America represents a giant leap forward in meeting the demand for high-quality, high-volume, US IRA-compliant graphite anode material in the EV and renewable energy industries," he said. 

Graphite, at A Critical Moment

Graphite is a $23-billion industry and represents one of the biggest opportunities in the huge investment arena of batteries, the backbone of an everything-electric future. In less than a decade, graphite will be worth an estimated $43 billion. 

Despite the fact that North American battery factories represent some 1 million metric tons per year of demand for graphite anode material, there is no commercial production in North America.

Graphex Group (GRFX), is operating in the most profitable area of the graphite supply chain—refining—and its first North American plant is being built and is expected to start operations next year.

In creating a domestic supply chain for graphite in North America, Graphex is poised to take on market share because of its expertise, its ability to transfer its proven technology here for commercial production. This isn't a pilot project. Already producing 10,000 tons per annum, Graphex is currently implementing a large-scale expansion to increase production to 20,000 tons per annum.