Natural graphite Photo: VCG

A Chinese research team has successfully achieved large-scale production of multiple high-end graphite products, resolving the issue of self-reliant and control over critical high-end natural graphite materials in China, the Science and Technology Daily reported on Monday.

The research team led by Wang Jionghui from China Minmetals Corp has continuously overcome the difficulties in large-scale preparation technology and equipment of high-end natural graphite materials, according to the report.

The multiple high-end graphite products include nuclear-grade graphite, ultra-high-purity graphite, high-performance natural graphite anode materials, graphite oxide, and sulfur-free expandable graphite, the Science and Technology Daily reported. 

The achievement was announced at a conference in Hegang, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, which focused on accelerating the development of China's strategic emerging industries by leveraging its mineral advantages, said the report. 

Hegang is home to the world's largest single-crystal graphite deposit, the Yunshan graphite mine. At the conference, the China Mining Association officially designated Luobei County in Hegang as "China's Graphite City," according to the Science and Technology Daily. 

China Minmetals Corp has already established a graphite beneficiation plant at Yunshan graphite mine with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons, along with a complete deep-processing industrial chain, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Previously, Wang's team successfully developed ultra-high-purity natural graphite with a purity of 99.99995 percent, filling a gap in China's supply of high-end graphite products and demonstrating that China's ultra-high-purity natural graphite has reached a globally leading level, according to Xinhua.

Global Times