Dowa to Resume Zinc Smelting in Akita

Dowa Holdings announced on Wednesday the firm will restart operation of idled Akita Zinc and Kosaka Smelting & Refining in Akita in early April after the damage by the major earthquake. The firm confirmed the smelters can get enough power supply for the operation while the facilities had no major damage on the plant building and equipments. However, the firm failed to make actual production plan for the smelters due to unstable power supply.

Akita Zinc, in which Dowa Holdings has 81% share, produces annual 200,000 tonnes of zinc. The smelter has stopped the operation without needed continuous power for electrolytic process after the major quake when local power supplier stopped power supply to large scale power consumers. Short fuel supply and limited transport availability also impact on the smelter.

However, the smelter will have enough fuel and energy for the operation. The smelter resumed the shipment from the inventory through recovering transport network. The smelter resumes the smelting operation in early April when local power company suppliers certain level of power.

Kosaka Smelting & Refining, which recycles precious metals, rare metals and copper, will resume the operation in early April when the availability gets better for power, fuel and transport. Eco-System Akita, which recycles waste resources, also resumed the operation in the week. The group’s Semiconductor plant in Akita operates at lower rate depending on the power supply.