Ferro-Nickel Smelting at Hachinohe Works of Pacific Metals Co., Ltd

Abstract

Pacific Metals Hachinohe Works commenced to be constructed in September, 1956 for the purpose of the production of sand pig iron from iron sand produced in Aomori prefecture and Hokkaido area, and was completed and began to be operated in May, 1957. We have attempted to increase the capacity of the works for producing pig iron by about two times, established a steel manufacturing plant for carrying out a continuous operation of pig iron and steel making and enlarged the scale of the works. However, being readily responsive to the change in various conditions of industries concerning this works, we enjoyed our seaside works which could handle a great deal of materials from overseas, planned to convertth e sand pig iron into ferroalloy comprising ferro-nickel and ferro-manganese, completed to change and rationalize the existing manufacturing equipment and improved its nature as a steel manufacturing plant which produced mainly stainless steel by April, 1967.
In 1969, we finished installing a 25, 000kVA large closed type electric furnace for ferro-nickel and changing an electric furnace for ferro-alloy, which had been converted from a pig iron manufacturing furnace, into a large and closed one.
In September in 1970, we installed a 40, 000kVA electric furnace for ferro-nickel which is the biggest in the world and our works has become one of the largest ferro-nickel manufacturing works in the world which has an excellent smelting technique.
Therefore, this works is a seaside works which is expected to be a main installation of the Pacific Metals Co., Ltd. and to be more developed.