Toward Sustainable Anode Materials: LCA of Natural Graphite Processing in Québec

Graphite is a critical mineral used to produce anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Battery-grade anode active material (AAM) is derived from natural graphite. As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to expand across North America, establishing a local AAM supply chain has become increasingly important. This new supply chain must be sustainable if critical minerals are to replace the internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrain in vehicles. Canada possesses abundant critical mineral resources, including natural graphite, which is mined and processed in the province of Québec. To better understand the environmental implications of this emerging supply chain, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on a Québec-based graphite mine and processing facility. The results showed that producing one ton of AAM in Québec generates approximately 1.44 tons of CO2-equivalent (long-term) emissions, significantly lower than the 9.6 tons of CO2 emitted per ton of graphite produced in China. Natural gas used for purification and coating at the process plant was the largest contributor of CO2 in this study. Although this LCA in Québec represents a substantial reduction in carbon intensity, further opportunities must be explored to enhance sustainability and strengthen North America’s graphite supply chain.