POSITION OF THE NATIONS
Low-grade amorphous graphite is abundant in the United States. There are supplies in many states and in Alaska, which have not been developed to any extent. An excellent grade of material from Mexico is available in large amounts, making extensive domestic development unprofitable, except when the deposits are very favorably situated. The most productive Mexican deposit is owned by the United States Graphite Co., of Saginaw, Mich. Artificial graphite is made at Niagara Falls in large amounts, making the country independent in the matter of electrodes.
This country is not yet independent in the matter of crucible graphite. Crucible makers have insisted on having Ceylon graphite, about 15,000 tons or more a year. The only supply of similar graphite in the country is a very small deposit in Montana. However, there is a fair supply of flake graphite in Alabama, Pennsylvania, New York, Alaska, Texas and possibly other states. Some 3,500 tons a year were produced prior to 1919. This resembles Madagascar rather than Ceylon graphite, though the flakes are smaller. American crucible makers are slow to make use of it, though there is evidence that it might serve very well. If the demand for crucible graphite continues, the demand for imports will probably continue.
Our deposits are not so high grade or so favorably situated as to compete successfully with those of Ceylon and Madagascar.
Canadian companies producing flake similar to that in the United States are in part owned by United States capital.
The flake graphite supply for crucible makers in normal times may come from Madagascar, but we can be fairly independent in case of necessity if we are prepared to stimulate mining in this country.
England controls the graphite from Ceylon. However, there seems to be a general opinion that Ceylon production is likely to decrease unless the control passes into the hands of some one who will introduce modern efficient mining methods. England normally allows about two-thirds of the Ceylon product to come to the United States. England’s own supply of crucible graphite is now mainly obtained from Madagascar, where an English owned and controlled company operates on the island. Amorphous graphite is obtained from Italy and Chosen. A London company operates in Quebec, producing some flake and dust. English capital is invested in Italian graphite deposits and apparently also in the Spanish.
Through her sovereignty over Madagascar, France probably controls the world’s best future supplies of flake graphite. The deposits are large, conveniently situated, and remarkably rich—20 per cent. or more graphite. They are capable of greatly increased production. Already the output exceeds that of any other country, though the deposits have been developed but recently. France has a small local production of amorphous graphite, and obtains some from Italy.
Germany is now chiefly dependent on Bavarian flake graphite for crucibles. The efforts made during the war to get Ceylon graphite in through Holland and Switzerland indicate that the Bavarian supply is not wholly satisfactory. Amorphous graphite is supplied from Austria. Overproduction has made it possible at times to sell the products in America below cost.
Japan produces some flake graphite. Chosen has an abundant supply of the amorphous variety. In Chosen there have been recent discoveries of crystalline graphite which may be of importance.
[Figure 11] shows the changes in the annual output of graphite in the chief producing countries, and [Figure 12] shows the percentage of crucible graphites produced by the main sources of supply.