Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-09-12

Development of Sri Lankan Graphite to be used in Rechargeable Batteries

- Although Sri Lanka is a high quality graphite producing country, the economic benefit derived by the country takes a low value as a result of it being exported as a raw material without value addition. Therefore, the focus of the Government has been directed in promoting the export after improving the natural graphite as a value added product with the aim of generating a higher income.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Susil Premajayantha, the Minister of Science, Technology and Research, to implement a research project by the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) for the improvement of the quality of the natural graphite in the country under appropriate innovative initiatives to enable it to be used in rechargeable batteries, was approved by the Cabinet.