Stable Supply of Non-Ferrous Metals and Transition to a Circular Economy
GRI 2-22 / 3-2 / 3-3
Background
Resources such as non-ferrous metals, which are essential for societal development, are finite and are expected to be depleted. Additionally, economic activities that assume mass consumption and disposal of resources place a significant burden on the global environment. Therefore, there is a need to shift to a circular economy across the whole society.
Strategies
The SMM Group will work to acquire mining rights and improve its smelting technology as part of its goal to ensure a stable supply of copper and nickel, which are essential to our daily lives. We will also focus on recycling technology as part of our commitment to reducing the impact that the use of resources has on the environment, with a view to shifting to a circular economy.
KPI/Target/Result
| KPI | Reporting boundary |
Target (FY2030) | FY2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production volume of nickel1 | SMM Group | 100kt/year (amounts converted to a nickel content basis) |
94kt/year (amounts converted to a nickel content basis) |
| Production volume of copper from our interest | Copper mines in which the SMM Group holds in interests | 300kt/year (amounts converted to a copper content basis) |
232kt/year (amounts converted to a copper content basis) |
| The capability of the recycling facilities of lithium-ion secondary batteries | SMM Group | 10kt/year2 | 0t A battery recycling plant is under construction (scheduled for completion in mid-2026) |
| The capability of copper recycling | SMM Group | 140kt/year (amounts converted to a copper content basis)3 |
104kt/year (amounts converted to a copper content basis) |
| The capability of steel making dust recycling | SMM Group - Japan | 120kt/year | 80kt/year |
- 1Production volume of electrolytic nickel, nickel sulfate, ferronickel, and nickel chloride, and nickel contained in cathode materials for automotive secondary batteries (excluding the portion supplied by our company, but including recycled nickel)
- 2Equivalent amount of lithium-ion secondary batteries
- 3Recycling rate of 30% for 460kt/year of electrolytic copper
