78 Table 11 - Distribution of C-resources by environmental performance in the resource countries in Mio t Environmental performance CResources all Share in % CResources producing operations only Share in % CResources exploration projects only Share in % good 0 0 0 0 0 0 sufficient 133.2 7.58 8.8 2.64 118.9 17.52 poor 361.0 20.54 31.9 9.6 250.8 36.94 bad 1 263.8 71.89 292.1 87.76 309.3 45.55 Very bad 0 0 0 0 0 0 total 1758.0 100 332.8 100 679.1 100 The importance of environmental protection in individual countries, and how it is implemented, is regularly assessed by Yale University (Block, S., et al. 2024). While it can be stated that no graphite mining or exploration takes place in countries with very bad environmental performance, it is nevertheless troubling that the vast majority of resources, both in operating mines and exploration projects, are located in countries with poor environmental conditions. This could lead consumer countries to seek alternatives to resources potentially or previously available from countries with sufficient environmental awareness with corresponding implications in terms of overall supply and demand of graphite. 6. RISK EVALUATION Risk is the product of probability of occurrence and severity of damage. Countries without their own graphite deposits rely on raw material imports. However, if the supply chain is disrupted, this can have negative impacts on the economy. This simple consideration also implies that zero risk is impossible. With approximately 1,758 Mio t (C-content) and an average annual production of approximately 1.65 Mio t C-content (WMD 2025), potential graphite resources appear sufficient for the next few decades. However, 87% of the resources are located in countries where the political situation (external risks) does not guarantee secure and uninterrupted production and thus supply to consumers (Scenario 1). Some countries have import bans for raw materials from countries with insufficient democratic principles, inadequate environmental protection, or armed conflicts. For example, the European Union has decided to ban oil and gas imports from Russia. Such (self-imposed) supply constraints are referred to as “internal risks” (Scenarios 2a, 2b). Under these premises, resources from producing deposits and exploration projects can be reduced as follows:
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