In our latest episode, we sat down with Amanda van Dyke, Founder of Critical Minerals Hub Plc, to explore the key differences between natural and synthetic graphite. In the first of two episodes, we discussed:

• Natural vs Synthetic: Natural flake has excellent conductivity but is brittle; synthetic, from petroleum byproducts, is smoother and more consistent.
• Battery trends: Shifted from ~65% natural → 100% synthetic → now 10-30% natural for better conductivity.
• Cost vs Performance: Anodes are one of the cheapest battery components, so even if synthetic costs twice as much, performance and lifespan take priority.
• Environmental view: Synthetic uses oil refining byproducts that would exist regardless of battery demand. It’s not driving fossil fuel extraction, though the oil and gas link remains a perception challenge.
• Beyond batteries: Large-flake natural graphite sells for 2× fine flake and is critical for expandable graphite used in foils for electronics, GPUs, and chip casings, where heat management is essential. Supply is tight, and demand keeps growing as electronics become smaller and more powerful.
• Future outlook on Natural: Science is still evolving. Advances like silicon coating and better spheronising could boost natural graphite’s role.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we cover US tariffs on Chinese anode materials, the West’s chance to scale synthetic production, and how permitting delays and weak policies are holding back new mines and critical mineral supply chains.

Published 11 August 2025

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