DOWA Metals & Mining Co., Ltd.
DOWA Metals & Mining Co., Ltd., is responsible for the core business of the DOWA group of mining, smelting and refining. DOWA Metals & Mining deploys a unique business model that is integrated with environmental business activities, by securing resources through investment in and financing to overseas mines and by way of high quality smelting and refining technologies that produce key materials. Our major plants of Kosaka Smelting and Refining as well as Akita Zinc are positioned as the center of environment and recycling industrial complex of the DOWA group, as an unrivaled complex business entity in the world.
In Kosaka Smelting and Refining, the operational capacity of the TSL furnace for recycling materials has improved and the throughput is increasing. Therefore, within this year we shift our source of raw materials from Japan to abroad and will start collecting of nickel and tin as new metals to diversify the types of metals we collect.
Akita Zinc established a cutting-edge sulfuric acid plant in 2009 and promoted contamination control of exhausts and energy saving. Also a cutting-edge zinc collection plant started operation last December that uses zinc oxide from iron and steel dust. We aim at full operation this year. We are committed to thorough and effective use of resources including collection of indium from materials for ITO that are used for types of things such as TVs.
Through these efforts we produce valuable metals using materials from ores and urban mines, aimed at being an ever-evolving metal mine, contributing to effective utilization of resources, fighting against global warming and building a resource-recycling society.
President Nobuo Yamazaki
Address: 217-9 Shimo Kawabata, Furumichi, Iijima-aza, Akita-shi, Akita Prefecture 011-8555
Employees: 195 (as of the end of March 2011)
Zinc is a material indispensable to our life, used for corrosion protection plating for automobile bodies, construction materials and home electric appliances as well as anticorrosion parts for ships and bridges. Akita Zinc is the top smelter and refiner of zinc in Japan with an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons. Our zinc contains less impurities and is highly evaluated by users.
In March 2011, Akita Zinc received the Japan Mining Industry Association Award for its long-standing efforts for environmental measures.
Exhaust gas containing SO2 is generated in the ore baking process of smelting and refining zinc. We installed sensors to measure concentration of SO2 at twenty places around the manufacturing facilities and monitor SO2 from the central control room at all times. Akita Zinc established a cutting-edge sulfuric acid plant in September 2009 and collects and commercializes sulfur content in the exhaust gas in the form of sulfuric acid. This plant has the state-of-art boiler that can transform heat to vapor, which is used in other processes to save energy. We also implemented the fuel gas desulfurization plant that was developed by the DOWA group, which succeeded in reducing SO2 to 0 – 1 ppm, which is nearly zero. In addition, we also focus on measures to handle the discharge of water, including installation of automatic analyzer of discharged water and sand filter. We also monitor climatic data such as amount of precipitation and outside temperature on a real time basis and take appropriate measures to prevent discharged water from overflowing and going outside of our premises. This includes preparation of an emergency pit of 5000 m3, multiple-purpose tanks and closing gates.
We continue to promote eco-friendly activities aggressively, as a company trusted by the people of the local community.
Masato Kudo, Head of the Environmental Safety Department
Ores contain various heavy metals and sulfur and may adversely impact nature. Even minor cracks or clogging of pipes may cause air or marine pollution. We recognize our role to achieve zero-accidents and zero-pollution as an experienced smelter and refinery and are committed to continuing environmental measures in place in order to continue to produce electric zinc on a stable basis here.
We also aim at being an eco-friendly smelter and refinery, which should be carried onto the next generation, and we will consider and implement measures to prevent global warming.
Akita Zinc Recycling Co., Ltd. started operation in 2010. The company is engaged in handling exhaust dust from steel manufacturers for the purpose of recycling of zinc. Akita Zinc uses refined and processed liquid containing zinc and produces 20,000 tons annually of electric zinc.
Steel dust used to be mixed with cement or disposed as waste. With the increased usage of scrap as raw material in iron works the effective utilization of resources has resulted increased zinc in steel dust, so now steel dust now can be used as a material for recycling. Our special technology enabled us to reduce environmental burdens such as CO2 more than compared to the traditional high temperature processing method.
Copper and lead contained in steel dust is collected in Kisaka Smelting and Refining in addition to zinc. Akita Zinc contributes to building a resource-recycling society in cooperation with other companies within the DOWA group.
Kensaku Fukuda, Executive Plant Manager
Akita Zinc Recycling receives recycling resources (materials for recycling) from users, convert them into products that can be effectively utilized and supply them to Akita Zinc. I believe that recycling of the zinc resource is very important, as it contributes to building a sustainable society.
However, the whole experience was quite new to me, involving materials, processes, facilities and human resources, so at the beginning I wasn’t able to increase operation rate easily. However, now we came to be able to operate as we planed. We will continue to improve operation in order to stably process diverse types of materials for recycling, responding to the needs of users.
As part of our initiative to contribute to local communities through sports, Akita Zinc became an official partner of Akita Northern Happinets, professional basketball team, in 2010. Akita Northern Happinets is based in Akita Prefecture and aims at being a team closely connected with local communities. The team is actively involved in various activities with local communities, and players and staff members visit local schools and participate in local events. We are committed to promoting local development through sports and building strong and dependable relations with local communities.
