Natural Flake Graphite (+80 / +100 / -100 Mesh) & Spherical Graphite

Natural flake graphite by mesh size and carbon content, and spherical graphite for battery anodes

Natural flake graphite is sold on two numbers, flake size and fixed carbon. Large flake passes a sieve at +80 mesh (above about 180 microns), medium flake at +100 mesh (above about 150 microns) and fine flake at -100 mesh, and each size is offered at a carbon content such as 94%, 95% or 97% C. Large flake goes to expandable graphite, refractories and foils at a premium; fine flake at 94–95% C is the feed that anode makers mill, round and purify into spherical graphite at 99.95% C for lithium-ion battery anodes. Fastmarkets assesses graphite flake 94% C -100 mesh FOB China and spherical graphite 99.95% C, 15 microns FOB China each week. Natural graphite in powder or flakes is HS 2504.10. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 2504.10 total USD 389 million and about 335,000 MT across 68 reporters: China USD 179 million and 126,300 MT, Madagascar USD 36 million and 83,000 MT, Germany USD 30 million, Brazil USD 21 million and 11,100 MT, the USA and Canada USD 19 million each, and Mozambique USD 12 million and 35,300 MT. Those are declared export values, not offers. In Mozambique, Syrah Resources' Balama mine produces about 80% fine flake and ships fines in bulk from Pemba and large flake by container from Nacala; Tanzania produces about 75,000 MT a year from two operations.

The buyer is an anode or spherical graphite plant, a refractory or crucible maker, a foundry, an expandable graphite or foil producer, or a trader, and the offer is a price per metric tonne for a stated mesh, carbon, moisture and pack. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers flake and spherical graphite against an SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek analysis of fixed carbon, size distribution, moisture and ash, a certificate of origin and a safety data sheet. China's export controls apply to Chinese material: since 1 December 2023 natural flake graphite (national line 2504.1010) and spherical graphite (2504.1091) need a MOFCOM dual-use export licence with an end-user certificate, and that regime was not among the measures China suspended in November 2025, while the stricter end-user review on US-bound graphite is suspended until 27 November 2026. US buyers also check the UFLPA entity list, which added Xinjiang carbon and anode-material producers in July 2026. Flake moves in 1 MT or 1.25 MT bags in 20-ft containers or, from Pemba, in bulk vessels, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms; minimum lots are confirmed per product and pack. Send the mesh, carbon, tonnage and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.