Recent Improvements at Hosokura Lead
Smelter and Refinery
H. Nakano, S. Ito, S. Abe and N. Hasegawa
Abstract Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., operates as a secondary lead smelter
and refinery, which produces about 30,000 tons of electric lead per year from waste
lead-acid batteries and lead residue generated in copper smelters and refineries.
Wastewater from the closed lead and zinc mines and tailing dams is also treated. Since
2017, our company has carried out a 10-year future plan, which focuses on themes
such as safe working environment, compliance, and optimization of lead smelting
and refining business. This paper reports on major topics about the plan, such as
“Improvement of working environment around furnaces”, “Treatment of wastewater containing fluorine at high concentration”, “Rationalization of the closed mines
monitoring”, and “Improvements of separation work of waste lead-acid battery”.
Keywords Fluorine wastewater treatment · Closed mine monitoring · Secondary
lead smelting
Introduction
Hosokura mine had been operated as a lead and zinc mine for approximately
1200 years. Hosokura mine was closed in 1987 due to a great appreciation in the yen
and a remarkable rise in personnel expenses. Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., has
been operated as a lead smelter and refinery for 32 years. The company has important
roles as the position for metal recovery such as lead, antimony, bismuth, gold, and
silver from copper smelters and refineries of Mitsubishi Materials Group. Hosokura
planed the next 10-year future plan in 2017. The plan focuses on themes such as safe
working environment, compliance, and optimization of lead smelting and refining
business.
H. Nakano (B) · S. Ito · S. Abe · N. Hasegawa
Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., 48 Uguisuzawa-Nangouaramachi, 989-5402 Kurihara, Miyagi
Pref., Japan
e-mail: hinakano@hosokura.co.jp
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_51
593
Smelter and Refinery
H. Nakano, S. Ito, S. Abe and N. Hasegawa
Abstract Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., operates as a secondary lead smelter
and refinery, which produces about 30,000 tons of electric lead per year from waste
lead-acid batteries and lead residue generated in copper smelters and refineries.
Wastewater from the closed lead and zinc mines and tailing dams is also treated. Since
2017, our company has carried out a 10-year future plan, which focuses on themes
such as safe working environment, compliance, and optimization of lead smelting
and refining business. This paper reports on major topics about the plan, such as
“Improvement of working environment around furnaces”, “Treatment of wastewater containing fluorine at high concentration”, “Rationalization of the closed mines
monitoring”, and “Improvements of separation work of waste lead-acid battery”.
Keywords Fluorine wastewater treatment · Closed mine monitoring · Secondary
lead smelting
Introduction
Hosokura mine had been operated as a lead and zinc mine for approximately
1200 years. Hosokura mine was closed in 1987 due to a great appreciation in the yen
and a remarkable rise in personnel expenses. Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., has
been operated as a lead smelter and refinery for 32 years. The company has important
roles as the position for metal recovery such as lead, antimony, bismuth, gold, and
silver from copper smelters and refineries of Mitsubishi Materials Group. Hosokura
planed the next 10-year future plan in 2017. The plan focuses on themes such as safe
working environment, compliance, and optimization of lead smelting and refining
business.
H. Nakano (B) · S. Ito · S. Abe · N. Hasegawa
Hosokura Metal Mining Co., Ltd., 48 Uguisuzawa-Nangouaramachi, 989-5402 Kurihara, Miyagi
Pref., Japan
e-mail: hinakano@hosokura.co.jp
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_51
593