@Capraise, There is no indication China is losing its dominance...

@Capraise, There is no indication China is losing its dominance in the next decade. But what they are losing is cheaper labour an cost of production advantage due to inflation and labour costs, an massive aging population. Hence it is easier to follow a similar strategy to Japan and USA, that invested in mining around the world.

China needs many new domestic graphite mines, as you mentioned, to maintain domestic supply of it’s impressive drive into renewable energy and electric cars and many other uses. That is true. However demand growth for natural graphite is good there is plenty of opportunity out side of China. 

However Globalization and China as a preferred production partner is changing. USA has introduced trade  protection barriers and tariffs and have long term plans to renew domestic industry, etc, etc. 

This is not about China VS USA or others. It’s about where the new mines and factories are being established around the world and who is investing in these areas. Sorry, but the facts are that it is too expensive to produce many things in China now and it is cheaper or not such a problem to establish business in other countries, and try and be good at it. Have a good look at the changes happening in Africa; Chinese and European and many others are making deals, building freeways, bridges, railways, hydro power, renewable energy and international ports, etc. There are plans underway for a green belt across sub Sahara and possibly soon a series of dams (stocked with fish and running hydro power to supply half of Africa) and a series of canals from the upper Congo (90% of water runs into sea from Congo catchment and only need less than 10% to green Africa and end poverty) to connect to Lake Chad in central Africa. This and other initiatives helped by China and others to revegitate overgrazed land will provide a better environment for doing business. Something positive for TON investors over the long term!

Africa has some of the best natural graphite resource deposits Outside of China, and Australia and Canada has also great potential. Not all new natural graphite mines will be Chinese invested or controlled, but the main customers are likely to be China, South Korea, and Japan. German based companies have also invested in some new graphite mines recently in Africa. Russia’s biggest miner held a meeting with German manufacturing a few months ago to discuss if they can supply all their raw materials needed for renewable energy and electric car batteries. However, I believe that Many German based companies are happy to cooperate with Chinese battery manufacturers for now.

It is interesting to note that Chinese manufacturers are starting to lead wind turbines and using magnets instead of gears to improve reliability. However, they also are using many locally sourced components such as steel or graphite composite that is made in USA to cooperate with local industries, etc.

The global trend to reduce the use of flammable foam in building panels a great global market. Existing manufacturers in Europe have developed methods to blend expanded graphite with foam to make products cost effective. The use of new robotics and 2D and 3D printers using graphite or graphene ink is changing the game ito a more level playing field.

Natural graphite and value adding such as graphene is too big a market to be dominated by any single country in the longer term.