Three years ago, two researchers of the university of Manchester won the Nobel prize for discovering graphene - a miracle material, the thinnest of all those that exist in the Universe. Graphene is the 2-dimensional form of graphite and it is made up entirely of carbon.
The 2-dimensional "strips" of graphene have made this material extraordinarily durable and flexible. Businesspeople in the powerful countries of the world have conducted research, which led to their finding of multiple fields in which this material can be used, from IT, electronics, medicine, to the aeronautical, military and energy industry.
Graphene is a better electric conductor than copper, and it is also 300 times harder than steel and has unique optical properties. Also, even though it is almost transparent, graphene is so dense that not even helium, the smallest gas atom, can get through it.
Two major foreign investors are courting Salrom for revitalizing the graphite mine in the county of Gorj. Amid the latest research in the field, the graphene obtained from the common graphite has created a veritable technological revolution, as strong countries and companies (operating in telecommunications, energy, medicine, military and aeronautical industry) are allocating billions of Euros for patenting the use of graphene. As it is to be expected, graphite mines have become extremely sought after, and Romania is the richest country in that regard as well.
Aurel Bucur, the general manager of Salrom, told us: "Salrom received strong signals from two major investors for the revitalization of the Ungurelaşu graphite mine, near Polovragi. Salrom still has a license for the exploitation of graphite in that perimeter. The mine has important graphite reserves and can be reopened relatively easy".
In his opinion, the exploitation of graphite can be done with a relatively low