Sales | YOY +2% | 2,216billion yen |
---|---|---|
Operating profit | YOY -94% | 5billion yen |
Ordinary profit | YOY -64% | 46billion yen |
The precious metal & copper business worked to improve the extraction of tin, a metal byproduct.
For the PGM (platinum group metals) business, the amount of metals recovered from used catalysts for cleaning automobile exhaust fell short of expectations.
The zinc business was affected by worsening mine purchasing conditions and rising electricity prices. On the other hand, for the Los Gatos project, which is to ensure long-term raw material stability for our smelters, construction work is progressing smoothly as planned, and it started operation in the summer of 2019.
In the precious metal & copper business, Kosaka Smelting & Refining will strengthen its ability to handle a variety of raw materials, such as recyclable materials. In addition, we will increase production by improving the actual yield and increasing the purity of tin.
The PGM (platinum group metals) business will work to expand collection and sampling locations overseas for used catalysts for cleaning automobile exhaust in order to expand the collection of raw materials.
In order to increase zinc production, the zinc business will promote the establishment of a 220,000-ton annual production system by constructing equipment to remove impurities from raw materials. In addition, we will increase the production capacity of our processing plant in Thailand and strengthen sales to Southeast Asia, a growing region. Due to the start of the Los Gatos silver, zinc and lead project, we will promote long-term and stable procurement of raw materials for our smelters. In addition, with the steady advancement of exploration activities in the Palmer zinc and copper project in Canada, we aim to further stabilize raw material procurement.