Akita Zinc to Improve Yield, Productivity for Higher Output

Japanese top electrolytic zinc maker, Akita Zinc tries to improve the yield through renewal of ore separation facilities and better technology when the ore grade gets lower under international competition to secure resource. The firm expands the output capacity by 25% to annual 240,000 tonnes in 2010 when the firm receives recycled materials of blast furnace dust from Dowa group. The firm tries to increase the supply to meet strong demand including automotive galvanizing steel through the better productivity. The ore grade decreased from former 51-52% of metal to current 50% while the impurity including silica weight increases. The firm concerns the ore grade could decrease to less than 50% of metal and tries to secure the source. The firm converts reactor tank, in which zinc is separated from roasted ore. The firm improves the filtration and sedimentation performance to deal with higher impurity. The firm tries to increase the zinc output to 190,000 tonnes in fiscal 2008 from 184,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 by reducing semi-finished materials and better operation performance in order to improve the profitability. Dowa Metals & Mining of Dowa group builds recycling facility in Akita Zinc plant to recover zinc from dust of integrated steel makers. The firm starts operation of the new process in January 2010 making annual 20,000 tonnes of zinc and expanding the operation to 40,000 tonnes level later. Akita Zinc can secure 40,000 tonnes more zinc source with small investment when the raw materials condition gets severer.