Damon Mcknight
Australia is home to millions of tonnes of graphite reserves and resources, which are shared between three states: Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. Graphite has been growing in popularity due to its applications as a battery mineral, and its use in electric vehicles. South Australia contains 66% of Australia's confirmed graphite resources, with over 60 recorded graphite occurrences, and the most significant region being the eastern Eyre Peninsula. In 2014, the Uley mine in South Australia restarted graphite production, however, operations were suspended in 2015 due to processing issues. Other graphite projects in South Australia include the Campoona and Carappee Hill projects, and the Kookaburra Gully graphite project. In Western Australia, the Hexagon Resources company is focused on its McIntosh graphite project, while International Graphite is working on the Springdale-Collie mine to market battery graphite.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Graphite reserves and EDR shared between states | Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia |
| Graphite deposits in South Australia | Campoona, Carappee Hill, Kookaburra Gully, Uley, Oakdale, and Eyre Peninsula |
| Graphite deposits in Western Australia | McIntosh, Yalbra, Springdale-Collie |
| Graphite deposits in Queensland | Burke, Corella, Ensham |
| Graphite companies in Australia | International Graphite, Renascor Resources, EcoGraf, Archer Exploration, Syrah Resources, Triton Minerals, Talga Resources, Hexagon Resources, Lincoln Minerals, Buxton Resources |
| Graphite reserves in Australia | 5 million tonnes of ore reserves, 7.97 million tonnes of EDR |
| Global production of graphite | 1.3 million tonnes in 2022 |
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What You'll Learn
Graphite deposits in South Australia
South Australia contains 66% of Australia's confirmed graphite resources, with more than 60 recorded graphite occurrences. The most significant region is the eastern Eyre Peninsula, where disseminated flake graphite is widely distributed in metamorphosed Paleoproterozoic Hutchison Group rocks. On the eastern side of the peninsula, numerous occurrences have been recorded over a 200 km long zone extending from south of Port Lincoln to Kimba.
The Campoona graphite deposits on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia have been developed by Archer Exploration Ltd since the completion of a 2016 scoping study. The study was based on mining and producing graphite mainly from the Campoona Shaft and Campoona Central deposits at a projected capacity rate of 3312 tonnes per annum (tpa) of graphite concentrate in the first three years of operation. The Campoona graphite mineralisation occurs within the graphitic schist unit of the Hutchison Group sequence on the eastern Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.
The Kookaburra Gully graphite deposit is located 35 km north of Port Lincoln and occurs within the Palaeoproterozoic Hutchinson Group metasediments on the eastern Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. In late 2017, Lincoln Minerals Ltd announced a positive economic outcome for its feasibility study into its Kookaburra Gully graphite project. The study was based on an ore capacity rate of 250,000 tpa to produce approximately 35,000 tpa of flake graphite concentrate. The study estimated the project's JORC Probable Ore Reserve at 1.34 Mt at 14.6% total graphite content (TGC). The mining lease granted for the project enables the company to commence production in 2019.
The Siviour graphite project on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is one of the more developed graphite projects, with an estimated annual production capacity of 123,000 tonnes. The project has been granted major project status by the Australian government, and the company claims it has the world's second-largest proven graphite reserve and the largest graphite reserve outside of Africa.
The Uley graphite deposit in South Australia restarted production in 2014, with its first shipment of approximately 20 tonnes of flake graphite from Port Lincoln. However, operations at the mine were short-lived, and the operator, Quantum Graphite Ltd, suspended them in December 2015 due to processing and bottleneck issues at the plant. The operation remains on care and maintenance.
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Queensland graphite mineralisation
Graphite is a form of carbon that is highly conductive and is used in electronics, batteries, laptops, lubricants, construction materials, medicine, pencils, and more. Australia has an estimated 5 million tonnes of ore reserves and 7.97 million tonnes of economic demonstrated resources (EDR) of graphite. However, it is not a producer of graphite yet. The country's graphite reserves and EDR are shared between three states: Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
The Burke graphite project in North Queensland, owned by Strike Resources Ltd, reported a JORC Inferred Resource estimate of 6.3 Mt at 16% total graphite content (TGC) in 2017. The graphite mineralisation is hosted by graphitic schist as a sub-unit of the Corella Formation within the Mary Kathleen Group and is of Proterozoic age.
Queensland's graphite discoveries contribute to the state's reserves and resources, positioning it as one of the key locations for graphite in Australia, alongside South Australia and Western Australia. With the increasing demand for graphite in battery technology and electric vehicles, exploration and development activities are on the rise in Australia.
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Graphite in Western Australia
Graphite is a form of carbon that is highly conductive and invaluable in electronics. It has been growing in popularity due to its applications as a battery mineral, particularly with the rise of electric vehicles. While Australia is not a producer of graphite yet, the country has 5 million tonnes of ore reserves and 7.97 million tonnes of economic demonstrated resources (EDR) as of 2022. Graphite reserves and EDR are shared between three states: Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Western Australia has numerous recorded graphite prospects and occurrences, with most found in graphitic schists or gneisses derived from the metamorphism of carbonaceous sedimentary rocks ranging from Archean to Mesoproterozoic age. The McIntosh graphite project, located about 100 km north of Halls Creek in the East Kimberley region, comprises the Emperor, Longtom, Wahoo, and Barracuda deposits. The Munglinup graphite project in the far south of the state has an estimated resource of 1.47 Mt at 18.2% total carbon, with development occurring at five mineral deposits: Halberts Main, Halberts South, McCarthy East, and McCarthy West. The McIntosh deposit in the East Kimberley region has been identified as having five high-grade graphite targets.
The Australian government has identified five projects between Western Australia and South Australia that could bring the country into graphite production. In 2022, the government approved a total of AU$239 million in loans as part of its AU$2 billion Critical Minerals Facility to two graphite companies: Renascor Resources and EcoGraf. While none of the identified projects are producing as of the most recent government report, Western Australia is in a favourable position for future exports of high-grade flake and finer-grade graphite products.
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Australia's graphite industry
The growing demand for graphite in battery storage technology and electric vehicles has made graphite a sought-after commodity worldwide. In recognition of this, the Australian government has provided significant funding to support the development of graphite projects and research. In February 2022, the government approved loans totalling AU$239 million to two graphite companies, Renascor Resources and EcoGraf, as part of its AU$2 billion Critical Minerals Facility. Renascor's Siviour project on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is particularly notable, with an estimated annual production capacity of 123,000 tonnes and the world's second-largest proven graphite reserve.
Several companies are actively exploring and producing graphite in Australia. Archer Exploration, for instance, has confirmed the existence of ultra-pure graphene from graphite deposits at its Campoona mine in South Australia. The company believes that the high purity of the graphene extracted will give it a strong position in the emerging global graphene market. Other companies, such as Hexagon Resources and Lincoln Minerals, are also focused on graphite projects in Western Australia and South Australia, respectively.
In addition to these exploration and production efforts, Australia is also home to International Graphite, a company developing a new source of battery anode graphite in Western Australia to support the transition to clean energy. International Graphite has received significant funding from the Western Australian Government to construct a commercial graphite micronising plant and trial mining at the Springdale-Collie mine, demonstrating the government's commitment to supporting the graphite industry in the country.
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Graphite mining companies
Graphite is a highly conductive form of carbon with electrical conductivity properties that increase energy density in batteries and shorten charging times. It is a key component in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and its popularity has risen with the growing demand for electric vehicles.
While Australia is not a producer of graphite yet, the country has millions of tonnes of reserves and resources. Graphite reserves and Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR) are shared between three states: Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. South Australia contains 66% of Australia's confirmed graphite resources, with >60 recorded graphite occurrences, and the most significant region being the eastern Eyre Peninsula.
The Australian government has identified five projects with the potential to bring Australia to the table in terms of graphite production, and in February 2022, it approved a total of AU$239 million in loans to two graphite companies: Renascor Resources (ASX: RNU) and EcoGraf (ASX: EGR).
Renascor Resources is focused on its two fully owned projects in South Australia: the Siviour battery anode materials project and the Carnding gold project. The Siviour project has an estimated annual production capacity of 123,000 tonnes and has been granted major project status by the Australian government.
EcoGraf owns the Epanko graphite project in Tanzania and a processing facility in Western Australia.
Other graphite-focused companies on the ASX include UltraCharge (ASX: UTR), which has created nanotube fibres made from titanium dioxide as a replacement for graphite in battery anodes, and Strategic Energy Resources (ASX: SER), which owns an 11% stake in Quantum Graphite.
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Frequently asked questions
Graphite is found in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Some graphite projects in South Australia are the Campoona and Carappee Hill projects, Kookaburra Gully graphite project, and the Uley graphite project.
Some graphite projects in Western Australia are the McIntosh graphite project, the Yalbra graphite project, and the Springdale-Collie mine.
The Ensham mine in Queensland is owned by a Japan-based firm.
Graphite is used as anodes in lithium-ion batteries, heat-resistant linings for furnaces, coating foundry moulds, brake linings, carbon brushes, and lubricants.
