Salient Natural And Synthetic Graphite Statistics

This table presents key statistics on both natural and synthetic graphite in the United States over the period from 2019 to 2023. It includes data on exports, imports for consumption, production, and apparent consumption, measured in metric tons and valued in thousands of dollars. This information is critical for understanding the supply and demand dynamics of graphite, a mineral essential to various industrial applications such as batteries, lubricants, refractories, and steelmaking. Tracking these statistics helps stakeholders assess market trends, trade balances, and the economic impact of graphite on the U.S. manufacturing and technology sectors.

Analysis of the data reveals several notable trends. Natural graphite exports peaked at 9,500 metric tons in 2022 before declining to 7,780 metric tons in 2023, while the export value followed a similar pattern, reaching $27.1 million in 2022 and dropping to $20.8 million in 2023. Imports for consumption of natural graphite showed significant volatility, rising sharply from 36,000 metric tons in 2020 to 89,200 metric tons in 2022, then decreasing to 73,500 metric tons in 2023. Apparent consumption of natural graphite mirrored this trend, peaking at 79,700 metric tons in 2022 before falling to 65,700 metric tons in 2023. Synthetic graphite production steadily increased over the five years, from 276,000 metric tons in 2019 to 343,000 metric tons in 2023, although its value fluctuated, peaking at $1.39 billion in 2022 before declining to $1.2 billion in 2023. Imports of synthetic graphite also rose overall, reaching 151,000 metric tons in 2022 before a slight decrease to 124,000 metric tons in 2023. Apparent consumption of synthetic graphite grew from 327,000 metric tons in 2019 to 430,000 metric tons in 2023, indicating sustained demand. Globally, natural graphite production remained relatively stable, with an estimated 1.53 million metric tons in 2023, slightly down from 1.61 million metric tons in 2022. These figures underscore the dynamic nature of the graphite market and its importance to both domestic industries and international trade.