Mitsui Mining & Smelting Seeks Stable Zinc Sources

Mitsui Mining & Smelting tries to secure metal resources stably. The senior managing executive officer Yoshiaki Kitagawa, who is in charge of metals, minerals and environmental engineering, said to Japan Metal Bulletin the firm tries to secure zinc source stably under tight ore supply. The firm seeks more sources in expansion of existing mines, exploration for new resources and higher recycling materials. Mr. Kitagawa expects zinc ore supply could turn into oversupply slightly but the difficult purchase condition would continue when zinc ingot supply is tight under growing demand in China. Mr. Kitagawa said the firm, which produces annual 220,000 tonnes of zinc ingot, tries to secure the half of the zinc source stably when the firm secured 30% from recycling materials including steel dust and 20% from captive mines including Palka and Huanzala in Peru. The firm seeks new resources through exploration and potential acquisition along with expansion of existing operations. Mr. Kitagawa said the firm studies to secure recycling zinc materials more to increase the zinc ingot output by 10% through expansion of materials treatment capacity at Miike, Fukuoka. He said the firm tries to improve the smelting technology to use more recycling materials at Hikoshima in Yamaguchi and Kamioka in Gifu. Mr. Kitagawa said the firm succeeded pure zinc sales from MS Zinc, which is joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining, to improve the service for integrated steel makers. He said MS Zinc will focus on sales for distillation zinc.