Toho Zinc Resumes Production at Onahama

Toho zinc announced on Friday the major earthquake damaged Onahama smelter in Fukushima resumed operation. The smelter had been suspended operation due to damage at some of facilities. After the repair, the smelter resumed zinc ore processing facilities on Wednesday. The smelter resumed zinc recycling operation including zinc oxide making on May 28.

Along with production restart of the smelter in Fukushima, Toho Zinc plans to increase the operation rate at Annaka smelter in Gunma to normal level. However, the firm’s zinc products output would decrease by 21% to around 45,000 tonnes in first half of fiscal 2011 started April from same period of fiscal 2010.