News Release

Green hybrid smelting undertaken by JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation ("the Company") has been included in the 2022 edition of "J4CE Noteworthy Cases" published by the Japan Partnership for Circular Economy ("J4CE"). This is the second consecutive year that an initiative by the Company has been selected, following inclusion of its recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) in the 2021 edition.

　

Amid an accelerating global trend toward a circular economy, J4CE was founded in 2021 by the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) to strengthen public-private partnerships to further foster understanding of the circular economy among a wide range of stakeholders including domestic companies and promote relevant initiatives. The Company joined J4CE upon its foundation, and more than 150 companies and organizations currently participate in the partnership (as of September 2022). J4CE primarily gathers examples of leading Japanese circular economy initiatives, and disseminates and shares information on these efforts in Japan and internationally.

　

Especially significant circular economy initiatives gathered from participating companies and organizations are selected for inclusion in "J4CE Noteworthy Cases." A total of 26 initiatives were selected for the 2022 edition, and green hybrid smelting was chosen as a leading example from the nonferrous metals field. Green hybrid smelting maximizes the use of the oxidation heat generated during the processing of copper ore to increase the ratio of recycled raw materials almost without the use of fossil fuels. It is highly significant that a partnership between central government ministries and numerous companies in various industries has formally acclaimed green hybrid smelting as positively contributing to the advancement of a circular economy in Japan.

　

Based on its Sustainable Copper Vision¹, the Company is taking a range of measures to supply, promote, and encourage widespread use of sustainable copper produced with green hybrid smelting. The Company will develop technologies and build recycled raw material collection systems to increase the recycling ratio in green hybrid smelting so that it can further contribute to resource recycling and the creation of a sustainable society.

　

1. For details, please see the news release dated August 3, 2022, titled "Sustainable Copper Vision: JX Metals Aims to Supply Sustainable Copper."