Sumitomo Metal Mining’s Low Level Cu Scrap Use at Toyo Smelter

Sumitomo Metal Mining’s copper scrap purchase is still low level for Toyo smelter and refinery in Ehime. The plant required scrap supply cut to the suppliers when the plant conducted maintenance through November 2011. However, the plant’s scrap purchase is still low level. The scrap dealers estimate the plant’s ramping up delays.

The plant conducted maintenance from September 13 to November 11 in 2011. The scrap suppliers were required scrap supply cut in September-November. However, many of the scrap suppliers report the supply volume was still low in December and they estimated some trouble at the plant.

Sumitomo Metal Mining denies the delay. However, a scrap supplier, which has reduced the supply for the plant to 60% of normal level since September, said the firm gets no request from the plant to increase the volume even in January.

The scrap market is mixed situation. The supply is still low level after the major earthquake in March 2011. Pan Pacific Copper’s Saganoseki smelter and refinery stopped operation due to fire on January 7. A scrap supplier said the plant will stop the operation at least for one month while Pan Pacific Copper accepts the scrap for Saganoseki at Tamano smelter of Hibi Kyodo Smelting.