<P> A foundry facing mold wash is a water - based paint of amorphous or fine flake graphite . Painting the inside of a mold with it and letting it dry leaves a fine graphite coat that will ease separation of the object cast after the hot metal has cooled . Graphite lubricants are specialty items for use at very high or very low temperatures, as forging die lubricant, an antiseize agent, a gear lubricant for mining machinery, and to lubricate locks . Having low - grit graphite, or even better, no - grit graphite (ultra high purity), is highly desirable . It can be used as a dry powder, in water or oil, or as colloidal graphite (a permanent suspension in a liquid). An estimate based on USGS graphite consumption statistics indicates that 2,200 tonnes was used in this fashion in 2005 . </P> <P> The ability to leave marks on paper and other objects gave graphite its name, given in 1789 by German mineralogist Abraham Gottlob Werner . It stems from graphein, meaning to write / draw in Ancient Greek . </P> <P> From the 16th century, all pencils were made with leads of English natural graphite, but modern pencil lead is most commonly a mix of powdered graphite and clay; it was invented by Nicolas - Jacques Conté in 1795 . It is chemically unrelated to the metal lead, whose ores had a similar appearance, hence the continuation of the name . Plumbago is another older term for natural graphite used for drawing, typically as a lump of the mineral without a wood casing . The term plumbago drawing is normally restricted to 17th and 18th century works, mostly portraits . </P> <P> Today, pencils are still a small but significant market for natural graphite . Around 7% of the 1.1 million tonnes produced in 2011 was used to make pencils . Low - quality amorphous graphite is used and sourced mainly from China . </P>

Where does graphite come from to make pencils