Graphite
Graphite is a crystalline form of carbon. It is relatively stable, which is why it is often used in thermochemistry. It is also found commonly in pencils, batteries, and steel making. Graphite has a layered structure and each individual layer is called graphene. Graphite is highly valued for it’s ability to conduct electricity.
As of now graphite has just begun to gain its popularity with the increased production of lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are used in cellular devices and electric car production. There are synthetic versions of graphite, but for the most part graphite is produced in mines.
The top producer of graphite is China, which has greatly increased production in the past few years as its market gains power. China now produces 70-80% of the world’s graphite. The second largest producer of graphite is India. Brazil is the third largest producer of Graphite in the world, but produces much less than China and India. Not very much information is known about the graphite industry in Brazil because a lot of the producers are private. Turkey is the fourth largest producer, but produces significantly less than the top three. Turkey produces a low-quality amorphous graphite with limited regular production in the past few years.
Environmental impacts that are caused by mining graphite appear to be concentrated in rural areas where the mines appear in all four counties. The act of mining creates erosion from the explosives used as well as deforestation from clearing the area. Mining effects the air quality, people have commented on how the air seems to sparkle. Decreased water quality and damage crops are other ill effects of mining, as well as homes being covered in dust and soot. Graphite pollution can cause graphite pneumoconiosis in local people. These factors are a cause for major environmental health concerns, and are often overlooked by mining and production companies.
China – The Helilongjiang Province
The Heilongjiang Province is the Northmost sheign providence of China’s north east region partially bordering Russia. The province is surrounded by two mountain ranges: the Da Hinggan Range and the Xiao Hinggan Range. These beautiful mountains as well as their surroundings provide as a tourist attraction for some and a home for others. The province used to be uninhabited, until the arable land was discovered and farming and production of the land increased. This providence contains many significant reserves other than graphite, including petroleum, coal, gold and graphite.
“A worker at the Jin Yang graphite factory in Mashan, in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province” (Washington Post)
With all of the mining of so many resources, the Heilongjiang Province has lots of small agricultural villages as well as large mining operations. These agricultural communities are responsible for producing a large amount of the soybeans and grain for the region. The mixture of both mining and farming has created problems for many people living in rural villages and surviving off the land as water contamination has decreased their crop yield. The increase in demand for graphite production is only putting more strain on communities that are already struggling in the Heilongjiang province.
An abandoned graphite mine in Mashan (Washington Post)
A Washington Post article interviewed citizens in the Helongjiang Province about how graphite mining is a lucrative business for very few, and otherwise has only negative effects on the community. One man said: “‘they mine anywhere on the mountain that they want to…the [mining] plants release their discharge into the water. And it’s impossible to do anything about it.’” (Washington Post). The citizens of neighboring towns appear to be powerless against the mining and this is creating lots of tension in the community. The increasing usage and constant development of smartphones and other electronic devices requiring lithium-ion batteries has dramatically increased the demand for graphite.
Though prospects appear dismal, the Chinese government has been giving more attention to the increasing problem of pollution. The government has been cracking down on companies and attempting to enforce pollution measures. These attempts at enforcement however may not be very successful because many companies appear to only enforce them when officials are present. The community as a whole seems to find it challenging to find a balance between wanting to stop off of the pollution and improve environmental conditions and also make sure that the factories stay in business so that they will continue to have jobs.
India -Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh (arunachaltourism.com)
Arunachal Pradesh is located just east of Bhutan and west of Myanmar. This beautiful mountainous state of India is home to 43% of India’s reserve of graphite (Salwan). Since this region is fairly close to the Himalayas, it can sometimes have a tundra-like climate. At lower elevations, this landscape is fairly hilly and densely vegetated, surrounded by clear beautiful creeks and rivers. Arunachal Pradesh is considered a biodiversity hotspot and is home to hundreds of different species. This place has yet to be mined, but it is being looked at for mining in the near future which raises some concerns.
Because the mining in India takes place over so many different states, the landscape of these locations vary, but most of the mining takes place in densely vegetated hills with several rivers. This landscape presents many environmental concerns like deforestation, flooding, landslides, and water contamination.
India is the second largest producer of graphite in the world behind China. The mineral is found in many states across India, but mining operations are only currently happening in a few. The states that have the most graphite are not yet being mined, but have great potential for the future. For years, India has been mining graphite unregulated, but after around 2014, stricter environmental legislation has started to inhibit companies from mining quite as much. After India’s election in 2014, the country has been adjusting to the new government and much stricter policies. The new prime minister hopes to modernize the mining industry while simultaneously attempting to toughen government regulations and reduce mining related pollution.
This may prove to be challenging because many areas in India are lacking the infrastructure to begin modernization to the point where pollution is of high concern. In certain regions, people are living without electricity, automobiles, and technology, so it may be difficult for the prime minister to appeal to these people about problems that they are not contributing to.
Regardless of India’s decrease in graphite production following the election of Narendra Modi in 2014, it is still mining up to 25,000 tons of graphite a year. (Salwan)
Brazil – Maiquinique
Mining company in Maiquinique (Grafite do Brasil)
A large majority of the graphite being mined in Brazil is located in the municipality of Maiquinique which is located in the North-East region of Brazil. In addition to graphite, this region is known for cattle-raising and agricultural farming. Two main rivers, the Piabanha and the Maiquinique, run through the area, and the landscape is relatively hilly. Almost 10,000 people live in this region, which is a relatively small population covering a fairly large amount of ground.
Major companies in this area can mine up to 4,500 tons of graphite a month. The mining that is taking place in the region has the potential for major water contamination. The minuscule fine graphite particles, that are created in the process, can contaminate the water and impact human health if used as drinking water. To mine graphite, workers must use explosions, and this can cause the underground rock joints to separate and water to seep into these cracks; eventually this can lead to major landslides. Additionally, companies often have to clear trees away to make room for the mining process, and deforestation can come with many problems of its own; it can cause floods, reduction in species biodiversity, soil erosion, and increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are all effects of deforestation.
Brazil is a main source of graphite for the United States. Many of the jobs in this region have to do with agriculture or graphite mining, so it is important to keep in mind that it is economically advantageous for companies to continue mining regardless of the health and environmental impacts. Those 4,500 tons of graphite can mean serious economic gain and wonderful business for the area. One of the graphite mining companies in the area states, “with clear policies and incorporating sustainability in its business, Grafite do Brasil, demonstrates social responsibility seeking to meet the needs of the communities where it operates and promoting the responsible use of natural resources” (Grafito de Brasil). This statement illustrates a reliance of the people in the area on the business of mining. Because of how paramount mining is for the local economy, workers continue to do it without too much regard to the impacts it has on their health. A major health problem associated with mining for graphite is the inhalation of the fine dust and graphite particles that are released as a result of the explosions. Overexposure to these tiny particles can result in lesions and cysts in the throat, lungs, and lymph nodes; this is called graphite pneumoconiosis (CDC). The mining taking place in this region is negatively impacting the health of residents and workers.
All of this can be put into the context of a global need for electronics and the west’s dependence on items like smartphones that rely on graphite mining for production. People have such a deep, personal reliance on their electronics, and for that reason, the demand is so high. Especially in a region where the mining of this mineral is the biggest source of jobs and income, they will not hesitate to meet that demand. Ultimately, this means that since mining will not slow down, we need to ensure that precautions are taken for the sake of the health of the workers and the quality of air and water in the area. Nobody in the region is actively fighting the environmental impacts of graphite mining, nor are they particularly concerned about the health impacts. It may be in the back of their minds, but ultimately, no changes are being made in practice, ideology, or policy to address the health and environmental impacts. It is addressed in a very nonchalant manner.
Turkey
Turkey’s natural landscape is vastly different depending on where in the country you are located; it encompasses many geographical zones. It has mountainous regions, rolling green hills, flat fields used for agriculture, and beaches touching the Aegean sea. The graphite mining specifically takes place near and around Istanbul which is primarily densely vegetated, rolling hills and is surrounded by water on two sides. This poses potential risks to contamination to the water in the Aegean Sea which is dangerous because not much is known about the effects of graphite on marine animals and habitats. Turkey is currently not producing any graphite, but it has extensively done so in the past, and has potential to do so in the near future. Turkey is also well known for mining coal.
Because of Turkey’s geographical location, it could be economically advantageous to reignite the graphite industry. They could easily produce for both Europe and Asia and have little to no trouble transporting the mineral cheaply. Europe is currently importing “more than 150,000 [tons per annum] of graphite” (Syrett). With that potential to supply for Europe comes a lot of politically charged motives as well. Many leaders would much rather prefer being reliant on countries in their own continent or, for example, in the EU, than reliant on countries they have no other mutual interests with. It would give many countries more of an illusion of self-reliance. Turkey is part of the EU customs unit which helps with making trade between countries relatively easy. Although the country has many other natural resources that they could rely on to keep their economy going, including gold, copper, coal, oil, and natural gas, there is nothing stopping them from reigniting the business and making serious profit from it.
As with the other countries, the risks involved with graphite mining still exist. Because of Turkey’s location, and Istanbul’s close proximity to the Aegean Sea, there are even further concerns regarding ocean environmental impacts that we cannot anticipate just because not much is known about it. Asia and Europe are large consumers of smartphones and electronics that rely on graphite, so mining in Turkey would help bring the production process closer to home. In accordance with EU legislation, Turkey has agreed to follow air pollution regulations which is a good incentive for companies to try and be more preventative in the process. Measures are being taken to try to cut down on air pollution, but it remains questionable whether those measures are really helping.
In Conclusion…
A recurring theme of all four mines is their location: relatively poor and small villages. Most of these locations are rural and have expansive land and agricultural areas. When graphite mines disturb the land in the area, pollution increases and tourism is affected. Air pollution is detrimental to animals and people in the area. Miners in the graphite mines have to cope with explosions that release particles into air that cause cysts, lesions, and other issues of the lungs and throat. Health problems aside, the pollution and mining events also harm tourism. The land is disturbed, which affects animals that come and live in the area as well as the vegetation. The area appears less beautiful and therefore less people may come to the area for tourism. These appear to be lessons of the negative effects of the places of production.
As a consumer of the mineral it would be important to know, who and what mining this mineral is affecting. The mineral is used in lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones and electric car batteries. Not to mention the probably most well known use: pencils. All of these products are very common in the first world and as consumers of such material goods, it is crucial to know the impacts socially and environmentally. People that work and live around these sites suffer from the pollution and land destruction caused by these mining sites. Habitats are lost for many animals. These issues should be well known by consumers purchasing the products as they are indirectly supporting the negative effects of graphite mining.
Overall, the impacts of graphite being mined appear to have many negative effects on the surrounding environment, health of citizens and impacts on other industries. Appreciating the place that as a consumer your products come from is important, and creating a consumer market where accessing this information would make for consumers and producers to be more aware of where they are getting their products. These places where graphite is mined are areas that have many other uses and potential that needs to be protected. As consumers we need to address these issues and develop more of conscious about where are products are coming from as well is being aware of each place having its own special value, not just a material use
References
Whoriskey, Peter, and Michael Chavez. “In your phone, in their air .” Washington Post , October 2, 2016. Accessed February 26, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/batteries/graphite-mining-pollution-in-china/.
Barrera, Pricila . “Top 10 Graphite-producing Countries .” Graphite Investigating News , February 22, 2017. Accessed 2017. http://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/critical-metals-investing/graphite-investing/top-graphite-producing-countries-china-india-brazil-canada/.
“Maiquinique.” Wikipedia. February 26, 2017. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiquinique
“Sustainability.” Grafite do Brasil. Accessed February 27, 2017. http://www.grafitedobrasil.com.br/.
Syrett, Laura. “The Grade Unknowns: Graphite Mining Projects Under the Radar.” Industrial Minerals. November 29, 2012. Accessed February 27, 2017. http://www.indmin.com/Article/3124302/The-grade-unknowns-graphite-mining-projects-under-the-radar.html.
Salwan, Shruti . “The Indian graphite industry – why we need to take notice.” Industrial Minerals. November 27, 2014. Accessed February 27, 2017. http://www.indmin.com/Article/3404526/The-Indian-graphite-industry-why-we-need-to-take-notice.html.
CDC. “Occupational Health Guideline for Natural Graphite.” Center for Disease Control. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0306.pdf.