Copper Smelting and Refining at Sumitomo Toyo Smelter and Refinery

Abstract

Sumitomo Toyo Smelter and Refinery commenced its operation in 1971 with the “To Be a Pollution-Free and World’s Cleanest Copper Smelter Forever” motto.From early 1990’s to 2003, Toyo Smelter and Refinery increased its annual electrolytic copper production from 200,000 tonnes to 270,000 tonnes with the continuous technological improvements and no addition of any excess facilities. From the turn of the century, the forecast that the world copper demand would increase steady but surely especially in Asia has been rushing the other smelters into the reinforcements of their facilities and the foundations of the new plants. It is clear that this situation will lead to the age of the jungle law in the next depression. Then Sumitomo Metal Mining Co.,Ltd. has decided to increase its Toyo Smelter and Refinery’s annual production capacity to 450,000 tonnes in order to meet the demand growth and to ensure its survival by minimizing its production cost.Toyo Smelter and Refinery has finished its expansion works and would start the 450,000 tonnes production from the end of 2007.