Industrial Minerals: As miners and buyers increasingly negotiate their own deals, where does this leave the graphite trader? Klaus Rathberger: The role of traders for graphite and other minerals has changed significantly during past two decades. The traditional role in many areas has become less important or even redundant. But there is enough opportunity in the marketplace for traders to be valuable partners for producers and consumers of graphite. The trader has in-depth knowledge about his products so he can provide his customers with optimised material solutions with the best price level for a specific application. Traders can also provide a logistical advantage, bundling small shipments with larger ones making transport and handling more economic. To a certain extent, graphite traders can limit volatility in the business. This is achieved by compensating raw...