Question: How do you collect graphite

James Boone answered on 9 Mar 2012:

Graphite for nuclear reactors is man made. It takes a lot of graphite to build the core of a reactor (many tonnes) and it would cost too much and take too long to mine natural graphite from the ground. However, natural graphite found underground is very pure and crystalline and man made graphite is not as good an example of the material. Graphite is made by using coal like carbon mixed with other chemicals and heated up to over 3000 degrees C to make graphite crystals form! Graphite is the most stable form of carbon. If you heat up a diamond too much, it will turn into graphite!