Operations

SMM has been working on overseas mine development since the early 1960's, when domestic mines were forced to close. SMM has been achieving steady results in obtaining non-ferrous metals, such as obtaining interests in many overseas mines through the good partnerships we have built with overseas mining companies known as "non-ferrous majors". For example, in the copper business, SMM has obtained interests in the U.S. Morenci Copper Mine, the Chilean Candelaria Mine, the Australian Northparks Mine, the Indonesian Batu Hijau Mine, etc. As a result, the in-house ore ratio of SMM (the ratio of ore already obtained as interest through investments in overseas copper mines to the required ore amount for copper refining) has reached 40％.

SMM is also working on the discovery of materials using our own technologies. The SMM Mineral Resources Business is our traditional business by which many mines have been developed, including the Besshi Mine, which has continuously produced copper for 283 years since it was opened in 1691. Our Hishikari Mine in Kagoshima Prefecture boasts the world's highest grade gold and the largest gold production in Japanese history. The abundance of the mine's deposits are indicated by the fact that only about half of its entire gold has been mined, calculated from the amount of deposits that are confirmed at this point, although it has produced 165.7 tons (as of the end of March, 2008) since production started in 1985. The mining technology developed in this Hishikari Mine is utilized for the development of overseas mines, which is being actively promoted by SMM. The Pogo Gold Mine in Alaska, USA, is a gold mine that was explored by SMM, and it is the first overseas gold mine in which SMM took he lead in starting development. Production began in February, 2006.

We continue to actively promote of the development of non-ferrous metals, including nickel, aiming at becoming a non-ferrous major.

From the day of its establishment in the 16th century, SMM (Sumitomo Metal Mining) has been engaging in business as a comprehensive non-ferrous manufacturer for 400 years, while promoting the development of new resources and the enhancement of their applied technologies. SMM provides stable and high-quality metal materials through its superior refining technologies. Raw materials procured from overseas in-house ores and the network extending throughout the world are made into metals such as gold, copper, nickel, and zinc in domestic refineries that boast high productivity maintained by persistent efforts including technical developments and process improvements. SMM has also boldly taken on the development of new processes in the field of non-ferrous metal refining. In precious metal refining, we have succeeded in manufacturing platinum metals such as Ru, for which recovery was not possible through conventional methods, by introducing a new process. Additionally, in the field of nickel refining, we have achieved the world's first commercially viable method of recovering nickel from low-grade ore, which had been considered difficult using conventional technology. Thus, we have been leading the industry with our refining technologies. SMM aims to become a leading non-ferrous metal refining manufacturer through approaches using our unique technologies.

Our group company, Sumitomo Metal Mining Brass ＆ Copper Co., Ltd. (Taito-ku, Tokyo), engages in manufacturing and sale of copper ＆ copper alloy fabricated products and Acids Co., Ltd. engages in sale of sulfuric acid.