Metallic Minerals Division

Copper concentrate as a raw material for the copper used in various applications in our daily lives

The Metal Division of our company originated with the development and operation of the Kamaishi Mine, among many other metal mines. Domestic metal mines stopped operating one after another because of changes in the business environment caused by the exhaustion of ore reserves and a rise in the exchange rate for the yen, among other factors. To cope with these circumstances, our company, using our own exploration and development technologies for metal mines, has developed overseas copper mines in a search to secure resources.

Hibi kyodo Smelting Co., Ltd. Tamano Smelter

Our business started in 1975 by developing the Qaleh-Zari Copper Mine in the Islamic Republic of Iran, followed by the development of the El Roble Copper Mine in Colombia in South America, then today the development and operation of the Atacama Copper Mine in Chile in South America. The development of overseas copper mines carried out by our company has progressed steadily and has steadily showed results.

Further, in 1968, our company participated in the Hibi Kyodo Smelting Co., Ltd. and entered the copper smelting and refining industry. Today, about 50,000 tonnes of copper is refined every year by that joint venture. The copper is mainly supplied to domestic electric wire and cable mills, copper fabricators for rods and plates, and some is exported overseas.