Services & Products
As a supplier of nonferrous materials covering areas of operations from raw materials procurement to smelting/processing outsourcing and product marketing of nonferrous metals including copper as the main material, PPC aims to obtain the satisfaction and trust of our customers and of society as a whole, and to become a respected multinational corporation that helps create a sustainable society.
Raw Materials Procurement
Stable procurement of high-quality raw materials
PPC is among the leading buyers, procuring approximately 1.8 million tons of high-quality copper concentrates annually from around the world. PPC's main sources of copper concentrate are the Caserones Mine, the Los Pelambres Mine and the Escondida Mine (invested by JX). These mines help ensure that PPC meets its long-term raw material requirements.
Also PPC is enhancing efficient use of nonferrous resources by promoting the utilization of recycled materials. Through such effort, PPC will contribute to the sustainable development of society.
Smelting & Processing outsourcing
Refined Copper ~Production of high-quality copper~
PPC outsources smelting & refining operation to JX Metals Smelting Co., Ltd. (100% subsidiary of JX Nippon Mining & Metals) Saganoseki Smelter & Refinery and Hitachi Works, and Hibi Smelting Co., Ltd. (100% subsidiary of Mitsui Mining & Smelting). Hibi Smelting re-outsources to Hibi Kyodo Smelting Co., Ltd. Tamano Smelter.
Each of these sites has high technical capabilities, cost-competitiveness, and productivity. At the same time they are meeting rigorous environmental standards in Japan. Aggregate production capacity of refined copper totals 650,000 tons per year (450,000 tons from Saganoseki and Hitachi, and 200,000 tons from Tamano※), the largest output in Japan and among the largest in the world. Also produced refined copper has earned a solid market reputation for quality.
※PPC's outsourcing quantity out of total capability 290,000 tons
Saganoseki Smelter & Refinery
Hitachi Works
Tamano Smelter
Precious Metals, Minor Metals, Sulfuric Acid, and Other Products
Precious metals (gold and silver), rare metals (selenium and tellurium) and other by-products (sulfuric acid, crude nickel sulfate, copper sulfate, etc.), are efficiently recovered during the production process of refined copper, which PPC supplies to the market as industrial materials of various kinds.
Saganoseki Plant
Copper Cakes and Billets
Japan Copper Casting Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of JX Metals Smelting, produces copper cakes and billets, which are used as raw materials for copper rolled products and electric wires and cables.
Employing its continuous-casting systems, a wide range of high-quality copper cakes and billets, such as electrolytic tough pitch copper (ETP), phosphorus deoxidized copper (DHP), and oxygen-free copper (OFC) are supplied to the market through PPC.
Marketing
Copper:
Targeting fast-growing markets in East Asia and Southeast Asia in addition to domestic market
PPC supplies refined copper, cakes and billets, for domestic and overseas industries specialized in electric wires, cables, rolled copper and more. The first priority of PPC's marketing activities is to satisfy customer needs by providing punctual delivery of high-quality products.
PPC will be expanding marketing efforts further in East Asia centered in China and Southeast Asia centered in Thailand, where expansion of copper demand is expected in future driven by continuing economic growth.
By-products:
Marketing focused on the advantages of each product
Carefully responding to various requests of customers, PPC supplies high-quality precious and rare metals. Gold ingots from the Saganoseki Smelter & Refinery of JX Metals Smelting receive an assurance report from an auditor in accordance the Third-Party Audit Guidance set forth by the London Bullion Market Association.
Taking advantage of its nationwide production and transportation network, PPC efficiently supplies around 2 million tons of sulfuric acid per year, which include by-products from the zinc smelting process of Mitsui Mining & Smelting.
Operation of Combo-Vessels between Japan and Chile for efficient logistics
PPC exports sulfuric acid to Chile for use of production of refined copper by SX-EW process while imports copper concentrates from Chilean mines. For efficient logistics, PPC began operation of MV "MAR CAMINO" in September 2010 which was the only Combo-vessel in the world at that time to transport both sulfuric acid and copper concentrates. In December 2013, PPC started operation of the sister vessel MV "KORYU". These 2 Combo-vessels enable PPC to transport in total around 400,000 tons of copper concentrates and 240,000 tons of sulfuric acid per year.
Social Responsibility for Quality and the Environment
PPC's basic environmental policy is contributing to the preservation of the global environment by helping improve the productivity of resources and materials.
PPC's smelting & processing contractors maintain systems for quality management and environmental management at their production sites by obtaining external accreditation under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
