Carbon powder. View of a pile of carbon powder. Carbon naturally occurs in three main forms: diamond, graphite and amorphous carbon. This is the graphite form. Graphite is a soft and slippery substance to touch, and has a melting point in excess of 3500 degrees celsius. It has a wide variety of uses including the 'lead' in pencils, as a lubricant in industry, and as a heat resistant component in high-temperature areas.