May 27, Colombo (LNW): In a recent development highlighting the strategic importance of Sri Lanka’s resources, several major global players, including China, India, the United States, and France, are competing to invest in the country’s graphite industry, a report by Daily Mirror disclosed.
This interest comes in addition to the existing involvement of Canadian and Australian companies.
Experts note that Sri Lanka boasts high-quality vein graphite in substantial deposits.
Prof. Ranjith Premasiri, Director General of the Geological and Mines Survey Bureau, confirmed that Chinese and Indian companies are among the interested foreign investors.
He emphasised the need to assess which companies are adding the most value and utilising the graphite for advanced industrial applications, given the presence of over 3,000 abandoned pits across the country.
Recently, officials from the Indian Government engaged in preliminary discussions with the Bureau to explore opportunities for developing Sri Lanka’s graphite industry.
The talks focused on collaboration in advanced exploration and mining technologies, such as airborne geophysical methods for locating vein-type graphite deposits.
Additionally, the discussions considered how to maximise the value addition of graphite for use in modern industries, including the potential for establishing graphite-based industries like electric vehicle batteries and lubricants.
