Battery Supply Chain > Graphite Refining
Graphite Refining
Graphite processing and refining for batteries is the conversion of mined graphite and carbon feedstocks into anode active materials (AAM) used in lithium-ion cells. While graphite is often treated as a commodity, battery anodes require tightly engineered graphite: high purity, controlled morphology, narrow particle-size distribution, and consistent electrochemical behavior. For this reason, graphite processing and refining — not graphite mining — is frequently the gating step for scalable anode supply chains.
Why graphite refining matters
Most of the value added in the graphite anode supply chain occurs after mining. Battery-grade graphite must be purified and shaped, then typically coated to reduce first-cycle loss and improve cycle life. These steps are capital- and process-intensive and require qualification with cell makers.
- Battery-grade graphite requires high purity plus morphology control; mine output is not directly usable.
- Spherical graphite processing and coating are critical steps for anode performance.
- Purification routes and energy intensity strongly influence where capacity can be built.
Natural vs synthetic graphite
Battery anodes use both natural and synthetic graphite. Many suppliers produce both, and some sites are specialized for one pathway.
- Natural graphite: mined flake concentrate processed into spherical purified graphite (SPG) and then coated into AAM.
- Synthetic graphite: produced from carbon precursors (for example needle coke) via high-temperature graphitization, then milled and coated into AAM.
Key products and terms
- SPG (spherical purified graphite): spherical natural graphite after purification to battery-grade purity.
- AAM (anode active material): coated graphite qualified for cell production (natural or synthetic).
- Graphitization: high-temperature conversion step used for synthetic graphite and some thermal purification routes.
Purification routes
Chemical purification
- Uses chemical leaching to remove mineral impurities and raise carbon purity.
- Can achieve very high purity but requires strong controls for chemical handling and waste streams.
Thermal purification
- Uses very high temperature to volatilize impurities.
- Reduces chemical handling but is power-intensive and requires specialized furnace equipment.
Battery-grade requirements (what “anode-grade” means)
Anode-grade graphite is defined by a multi-parameter specification. Headline purity is necessary but not sufficient.
- Purity: typically very high carbon content after purification, with tight trace-metal limits.
- Particle size distribution: controlled to optimize electrode packing and calendering.
- Tap density and surface area: linked to energy density and first-cycle loss.
- Coating quality and consistency: impacts SEI (solid electrolyte interphase) stability and cycle life.
Graphite processing and refining facilities
The table below lists representative graphite processing, purification, and anode-material facilities. The “Natural vs Synthetic” column indicates the dominant feedstock pathway at the facility, and the “Output type” column indicates whether the site produces SPG, coated AAM, or synthetic graphite materials used as anode feedstock.
| Company / Operator | Facility | Location | Primary products | Natural vs Synthetic | Output type | Refining route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syrah Resources | Vidalia AAM Facility | Vidalia, Louisiana, United States | Natural graphite AAM | Natural | Coated AAM | SPG processing + purification + coating |
| Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) | Bécancour Battery Material Plant (Phase 1/2) | Bécancour, Québec, Canada | Natural graphite AAM (planned / phased) | Natural | Coated AAM / SPG | Purification + shaping + coating (phased) |
| Talga Group | Luleå Anode Refinery (Vittangi Anode Project) | Luleå, Sweden | Natural graphite anode material (Talnode®-C) | Natural | Coated AAM | Processing + purification + coating |
| EcoGraf | Battery Anode Material Facility (planned) | Western Australia, Australia | Spherical purified graphite (SPG) / anode material feed | Natural | SPG | Purification + spheroidization |
| BTR New Material Group | BTR Anode Materials Plant (Indonesia) | Indonesia (facility disclosed by operator) | Graphite anode materials | Natural + Synthetic | Coated AAM | Processing + coating (site-dependent) |
| Ningbo Shanshan Technology | Integrated Anode Material Base (Baotou) | Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Graphitization + processing + coating |
| Ningbo Shanshan Technology | Anode R&D and production bases (multi-site) | Shanghai / Ningbo / Baotou and others, China | Anode materials | Synthetic + Natural | Coated AAM | Processing + coating (multi-site) |
| Putailai (PTL) / Jiangxi Zichen | Jiangxi Zichen Anode Materials Base | Jiangxi, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Graphitization + processing + coating |
| Putailai (PTL) | Liyang Anode Materials Base | Liyang, Jiangsu, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Graphitization + processing + coating |
| Putailai (PTL) | Inner Mongolia Anode Materials Base | Inner Mongolia, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Graphitization + processing + coating |
| Putailai (PTL) / Zichen | Sichuan Zichen (Qionglai) | Qionglai, Chengdu, Sichuan, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Graphitization + processing + coating |
| Shinzoom (Hunan Zhongke) | Ningxiang Anode Materials Base | Ningxiang, Changsha, Hunan, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Shinzoom (Hunan Zhongke) | Gui’an Anode Materials Plant | Gui’an, Guizhou, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Shinzoom (Hunan Zhongke) | Qujing Integrated Anode Project | Qujing, Yunnan, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Integrated processing + coating |
| Shinzoom (Hunan Zhongke) | Tanger Tech Anode Plant (Morocco) | Tanger Tech, Morocco | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Kaijin New Energy | Yancheng Integrated Anode Base (Phase 2) | New Huanghe District, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Integrated processing + coating |
| Kaijin New Energy | Binhai Port Anode Materials Project | Binhai Port Area, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Integrated processing + coating |
| Posco Future M | Anode Materials Operations (graphite-based) | South Korea | Graphite anode materials | Natural + Synthetic | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Resonac (formerly Hitachi Chemical) | Graphite Anode Materials Manufacturing (multiple) | Japan | Graphite anode materials | Natural + Synthetic | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Mitsubishi Chemical | Battery Anode Materials Lines (select sites) | Japan | Graphite anode materials | Natural + Synthetic | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Imerys | Graphite Anode Materials (partnership / European buildout) | Europe (selected sites) | Graphite anode materials | Natural | Coated AAM / SPG | Purification + shaping + coating |
| SGL Carbon | Synthetic Graphite & Carbon Materials Plants | Europe (multiple) | Synthetic graphite materials | Synthetic | Synthetic graphite (feed / anode-grade subset) | Graphitization (high-temp) |
| Jiangsu Zhengtuo New Material (Hebei Kuntian) | Anode Materials Bases (representative) | China (multiple) | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Guangdong Dongdao New Material | Anode Materials Facilities (representative) | China (multiple) | Anode materials | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Processing + coating |
| Shanghai Putailai (overseas) | Sundsvall Integrated Anode Project (cancelled) | Sundsvall, Sweden | Integrated anode materials base (planned) | Synthetic (primarily) | Coated AAM | Integrated processing + coating |
