Lead Smelting and Refining at Hosokura Metal Mining Co.,LTD

Abstract

The Hosokura Metal and Mining Co., Ltd. produces electrolytic lead (99.99% purity) and bismuth, antimony trioxide, crude silver etc. from recycled lead-acid batteries and various types of lead-bearing industrial intermediates. Mining and smelting of lead, zinc and silver bearing ores from the original Hosokura Mine began over 1,200 years ago, but was terminated with the closure of the mine in 1987 and, since then, the production of recycled lead and the treatment of mine wastewater have been continued. The current company was reorganized in March, 2006. Although the capacity for monthly lead production based on a blast-furnace operation followed by electro-refining is around 2,000 t /month, a serious shortage of recycled batteries triggered technology development to accept lead dross and lead residue etc.also as low grade raw material in the summer of 2005. Another main operation of this company is the treatment of mine wastewater, 15 t /min on average, from the closed mine and the effluents from lead plants to meet the water quality standard against toxic elements including lead. Overcoming the lead-leakage problem at this plant in May, 2002, the thoroughly renewed and strengthened water-treating system with a big deep bed filtration facility at the final stage enables us to contribute to the environment improvement of this area and rebuild the tight, friendly correlation with the surroundings. Both the plants are operating under the company policies of environmental conservation, compliance and community involvement.