Graphite electrodes are mainly made of petroleum coke and needle coke as raw materials, coal tar pitch as a binder, and are made by calcination, batching, kneading, compaction, roasting, graphitization, and machining. It releases electric energy in the form of electric arc in an electric arc furnace. The conductors used for heating and melting the charge can be divided into ordinary power graphite electrodes, high power graphite electrodes and ultra-high power graphite electrodes according to their quality indicators.

The main raw material for graphite electrode production is petroleum coke. Ordinary power graphite electrodes can be added with a small amount of pitch coke, and the sulfur content of petroleum coke and pitch coke cannot exceed 0.5%. Needle coke is also needed when producing high-power or ultra-high-power graphite electrodes. The main raw material for aluminum anode production is petroleum coke, and the sulfur content is controlled not to exceed 1.5% to 2%. The petroleum coke and pitch coke should meet the relevant national quality standards.