SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Inside one of the nation’s last surviving pencil manufacturers, Jason Glines heaved slats of wood imported from China through a cutting machine. He watched as blades grooved the ...

A batch of graphite has just been delivered to this pencil factory in Germany. Once it’s been thoroughly mixed with clay, it’s ready to go into production, with around 550 pounds of the stuff making ...

Graphite is a unique element with special qualities beyond its use in pencils. It’s a fantastic conductor of electricity, as well as extremely heat resistant, withstanding temperatures of over 3,000 ...