JX Nippon Mining & Metals to Renew Rolled Cu Making Process

JX Nippon Mining & Metals renews melting and casting furnace and facing line at rolled copper making Kurami plant in Kanagawa through fiscal 2012 ending March 2013 for 1.7 billion yen. The firm tries to improve the supply ability of titanium copper alloy and rolled copper products in volume and quality.

The firm renews melting and casting furnace in 2011 for 300 million yen to make titanium copper alloy. The new furnace with monthly 200 tonnes of output capacity can make ingot with 650 millimeters width and 6 tonnes weight while current furnace with around 150 tonnes of monthly output capacity can make only 500 mm width and 4 tonnes weight.

The firm increases the capacity to meet growing demand for titanium copper alloy to connector and switch recently. With the furnace, the firm can improve the rolling operations’ productivity when almost all other ingots made at Kurami have 650 mm width.

The firm also renews facing line by August 2012 for 1.4 billion yen to improve the preciseness. The firm improves the quality level of rolled copper products along with the productivity through the renewal from around 40-year old line.