Kalutara, Kegalle explored for graphite
Bogala Graphite Lanka is currently exploring commercially viable deposits of graphite in the Kalutara and Kegalle districts.
The exploration licence issued to the company from the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau of Sri Lanka was announced this week in a disclosure to the Colombo Stock Exchange.
It was noted that the company had obtained a licence for the exploration of new graphite deposits at Kohombagahawatte, Rangala and Galigamuwa in the Kegalle district covering 33 sq. km and Mathugama in the Kalutara district covering an area of 56 sq. km. Company officials noted that graphite exploration was carried out in these areas based on old documentation.
Rangala is said to be an old graphite mine belonging to the company.
A number of sites are found to have large potential for graphite exploration in Sri Lanka except in the Jaffna peninsula, they said.
Lately, renewed interest in the sector was noted with at least two foreign companies establishing operations in the country since the last two years, industry officials said.
Bogala Graphite, a subsidiary of Ms Graphit Kropfmühl AG group of companies in Germany, currently markets the only vein graphite to the US, UK, Germany India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea and a small quantity to China with exports reaching approximately Rs.400 million last year.
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