Nippon Mining & Metals to Reshuffle Hitachi Complex

Nippon Mining & Metals announced on Thursday the firm plans to renew Hitachi plants area in Ibaraki including plants for copper electrolytic refining, environmental recycling, electric materials and metal fabrication. The firm divides the area into 3 sections including environmental recycling, copper electrolytic refining and high-technology and technology development. The firm improves the efficiency, research and development and in-plant infrastructure for potential expansion. The firm spends around 11 billion yen for the plan except for the potential expansion in 3 years to March 2010. The firm allocates Daiouin part for environmental recycling and Shibauch west part for copper electrolytic refining in Hitachi area while the firm sets high-technology and technology development section including copper foil, double layered copper clad substrate, precision plating and technology development center in Shirogane and Shibauchi east part. The firm relocates the plants and facilities into each section for efficient and flexible operations. The firm launches metal recycling complex plan in Hitachi under the environmental recycling business. The firm builds new copper recovering furnace and wet processing facilities. The firm recovers gold, silver and copper from low grade scrap and antimony, bismuth and tin from intermediate products at Saganoseki smelter with the new furnace along with existing recycling furnace and clean Z furnace.The firm estimates the capital expenditure costs around 5 billion yen and secures the fund separated from the Hitachi area renewal plan.