Infographic

Graphite (natural) in numbers

Graphite (natural) (C) drawn as one poster: 1.8 Mt of world mine production in 2025, China the largest producer, 9 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025Graphite (natural)CBattery mineral · symbol CNatural graphite is mined as flake or amorphous graphite. Battery anodes are now the largestgrowth use; refractories, lubricants and foundries are the traditional markets. Syntheticgraphite made from petroleum coke competes in anodes.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 20251.8 Mtnatural graphite (as reported). USGS Mineral CommoditySummaries.TOP PRODUCER: CHINA78%1.4 Mt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 2025310 MtLargest in China (100 Mt). natural graphite (as reported).CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS9Current government critical or strategic lists naminggraphite (natural), across 8 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS86%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 2025100%PRICE 2025470 $/tTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where graphite (natural) comes fromChina1.4 Mt78%Madagascar80 kt4.4%Tanzania75 kt4.2%Brazil65 kt3.6%Mozambique60 kt3.3%Russia25 kt1.4%India17 kt0.9%Canada8.0 kt0.4%North Korea8.0 kt0.4%Norway6.6 kt0.4%Mine production, natural graphite (as reported). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.World natural graphite output was about 1.8 Mt in 2025, of which China produced about 1.4 Mt (about78%). Madagascar, Tanzania, Brazil and Mozambique follow at 60 to 80 kt each. Reserves are about 310Mt. IEA puts battery-grade refining by the top three countries at 99%, almost all in China.1900–2022A century of graphite (natural) production0.00 t500 kt1.0 Mt1.5 Mt2.0 Mt190019171935195219701987200520222022: 1.7 Mt1900: 82 ktWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES18 countries reported graphite (natural) output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.DEMAND BY END USE 2025What graphite (natural) is used for5.8 MtTOTAL DEMAND 2025Electric vehicles36%Battery storage7.0%Other uses57%IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026, natural and synthetic graphite; total demand (CC BY 4.0).TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest graphite (natural) trade routesChina → United States$45 mChina → Japan$45 mChina → South Korea$40 mChina → Poland$15 mMadagascar → India$15 mHS 250410: Natural graphite, powder or flakes. World trade $486 m in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025European Union: strategic 2024United Kingdom (BGS): critical 2024Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024United States (DOE): critical 2023India: critical 2023South Korea: strategic 2023China: strategic 2016EXPORT CONTROLSChina: licensing requirement from 2023. Source: OECD export restrictions inventory and government notices, asrecorded in our data.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Graphite (natural) infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, demand by end use, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
1.8 Mt (natural graphite (as reported)) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
China, 1.4 Mt (78% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
86% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
310 Mt (natural graphite (as reported)), largest in China USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
9 current lists in 8 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, China, European Union, United Kingdom, India, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
100% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
470 $/t (Price, average unit value of imports, dollars per metric ton at foreign ports: Amorphous) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1900
82 kt (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2022 (historical series)
1.7 Mt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest end use, 2025
Other uses: 57% of 5.8 Mt total demand IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0)
Demand outlook, IEA STEPS 2030
8.7 Mt (+50% on 2025) IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0)
Largest trade flow, 2024
China → United States, $45 m (HS 250410, Natural graphite, powder or flakes); world trade $486 m CEPII BACI trade database
Export controls
China (licensing requirement)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Graphite (natural) storyWhere graphite (natural) is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics