Copper Business and Recycling Business at Naoshima Smelter & Refinery

Abstract

The Mitsubishi Naoshima Smelter & Refinery started copper smelting operation in 1917, since then has been developed smelting and refining technologies like Mitsubishi Process, which is an efficient, pollution free continuous copper smelting and converting process. At present, Naoshima Smelter & Refinery has three major activities; copper business, precious metals business and recycling business. In this decade, Naoshima Smelter & Refinery has been utilized the copper smelting technology for recycling business, which consists of the treatment of the industrial wastes and the treatment of copper and/or precious metal-bearing materials. Two recycling plants were constructed as pre-treatment plants for Mitsubishi process. One is the incinerating and melting plant, and the other is washing treatment plant for fly ash from incinerators. The treated industrial waste from these recycling plants is fed to Mitsubishi Process to recover the valuable materials and hazardous heavy metals.