Name of the Mine
Hishikari mine.
Location
Northern Kagoshima Prefecture, in Japan.
Mine Owner/s
Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM).
Brief Description
Hishikari mine is the only metals mine in Japan that operates on a commercial scale and has the highest gold production.
Brief History
Hishikari has been producing gold since 1985. The mine is characterised by its high grade of 20 grams of gold per ton, or about five times the average. The mine continues to produce about six tons of gold a year.
Primary Metals/Minerals
Gold.
Secondary Metals/Minerals
None stated.
Geology/Mineralisation
The ore deposits of the Hishikari mine are known as epithermal vein-type deposits and are believed to have formed about one-million years ago.
Reserves
Recoverable gold reserves as at December 31, 2020, were estimated at 159 t of gold.
Resources
Not disclosed.
Mining Method
Underground.
Major Infrastructure/Equipment
Underground, drilling machines (jumbo) are used drill holes in the ore veins, with the holes filled with explosives thereafter. Ore is collected by special loading equipment. Collected ore is loaded onto dump trucks and transported to the surface for processing.
On the surface, the mined ore is crushed into palm-sized pieces and sorted by automated machines and by hand. The separated gold ore is loaded into a gold ore carrier at the Port of Kajiki, in Kinkowan, and is transported to the Toyo Smelter & Refinery.
Prospects
SMM is promoting the remote and unmanned operation of heavy machinery and information infrastructure equipment inside and outside of the Hishikari mine.
Contact Details
SMM
Tel +81 995 26 3111
Website https://www.smm.co.jp/
Sources
Sumitomo Metal Mining. Annual Integrated Report 2020.
Sumitomo Metal Mining. Website https://www.smm.co.jp/ [accessed March 15, 2022].