Potentials and issues in manufacturing water-based graphite dispersions (-lubricants) in Sri Lanka as value added end product of natural graphite

Abstract

Sri Lanka is the only country in the world known to extract and produce commercially viable quantities of natural crystalline vein graphite. Currently Bogala Graphite mines and Kahatagaha Graphite mines are famous underground mines and largest natural graphite producers which supply natural vein graphite in the form of various product categories to international graphite market. It is said to be raw graphite or Run-of-mine (ROM) taken from underground mine is subjected to certain value adding steps such as separation into carbon grades and milling and grinding to requested particle size before export. But still value addition of graphite is a hot topic in many technical forums as well as among politicians and civil society. As we know, graphite is a miracle material in the industrial world as it involves or becomes an invaluable material in many industrial products as well as applications. So, among many graphite applications or end products, water-based graphite dispersion (lubricant) which is known as hot forging lubricant is one typical value-added graphite end product which can be produced in Sri Lanka using its own raw material. On the other hand, even though hot forging industry is not available in Sri Lanka, we can focus on our neighboring countries in South Asia specially India and Pakistan where world largest forging factories located and manufactured almost all forged parts for global automotive industry. This paper discusses potentials and issues related to manufacturing water-based graphite dispersions (lubricants) in Sri Lanka. This is one value added graphite end product and formulated specially aiming hot forging industry.