As of 2023, China produces virtually 100% of spherical graphite in the world. Why is this?
The short answer, is that we don’t know!
References
This article, without any sources to back it up, claims that:
China owns 100% of the world’s production, because of the ready availability of graphite there, weak environmental standards and low costs.
Abby shared this article:
In graphite, China is virtually inescapable. It accounts for more than two-thirds of natural graphite mining; about 60% of synthetic graphite production (an alternative made from oil by-products); and virtually 100% of coated spherical graphite, or CSG, production, the processed form suited to anodes. China also accounts for 98% of announced anode-manufacturing capacity expansions through 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
https://www.northerngraphite.com/_resources/media/SPG-Summary-2.pdf