Graphite
Overview
Overview
Mozambique, Madagascar, and Tanzania together hold 69 million tonnes of graphite reserves, making up 21% of global reserves. In 2021, Mozambique and Madagascar were the third largest producers of graphite, each accounting for 6% of global production. Significant mining operations in these countries include the Balama Mining Project in Mozambique, the Molo Mining Project in Madagascar, and the Bunyu Mining Project in Tanzania. The main export destinations for graphite from these countries include Germany, the USA, China, and India.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the potential to help develop regional supply chains, while investments are needed in graphite processing to capitalize on potential supply chain disruptions.
Graphite reserves
Graphite production
Major graphite
mining projects
Mozambique
Madagascar
Tanzania
Main copper export destinations
|
Mozambique exports in 2020
|
|---|
| Germany ($4.76 million) |
| United States ($3.36 million) |
| Austria ($3.17 million) |
| India ($1.16 million) |
| Turkey ($0.8 million) |
|
Madagascar exports in 2020
|
|---|
| China ($6.49 million) |
| India ($3.4 million) |
| United States ($2.11 million) |
| Germany ($1.44 million) |
| Turkey ($0.8 million) |
|
Tanzania exports in 2020
|
|---|
| China ($0.8 million) |
| India ($0.18 million) |
| Turkey ($0.01 million) |
| South Korea ($0.01 million) |
| - |
Processing capacity
Processing capacity
The manufacturing stage of the graphite supply chain does not take place in Africa and so the value-adding stages are outside the continent, leading to reduced income. As it currently stands graphite concentrate is shipped overseas, typically to China, and the supply chain leaves Africa at the end of the mining stage.
While pockets of technological capabilities and productive opportunities exist in South Africa, the value chain is still emerging and remains disarticulated, with different levels of development along the chain. Outside South Africa, domestic technological capabilities in mining value chain are limited to some extraction activities and processing of concentrates; however, high-value downstream activities such as manufacturing of batteries are almost non-existent.
