2023.04.06
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Special Feature : Creating New Value through Circulation Vol.2
“Circulating resources for a sustainable future” means...
Making full use of the earth’s gifts without waste.
There aren’t enough metal resources. We need to recycle more.
Our goal is to secure at least 500,000 tons of copper concentrates
Copper, which effectively conducts heat and electricity, is a must-have basic material used in a wide range of machines from smartphones to electric vehicles. We foresee a continued growth in copper demand, and it is predicted that the supply will not be able to keep up with the demands in 2025 and later, and that there will be a shortage of 5.5 million tons by 2030.
Mitsubishi Materials is making efforts to secure a steady supply of copper concentrates, which are used to smelt copper, as a company aiming to be a leader in resource recycling of non- ferrous metals by FY2031. Just as we acquired stakes in Chile’s Mantoverde copper mine in 2021, in recent years we are continuing to invest in mines to achieve our goal of securing 500,000 tons of copper concentrates through our mine assets. Additionally, we are promoting the development of technology for extracting the variety of rare metals that come from copper deposits, which produce copper ore, and the construction of an eco-friendly smelting system that contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases and more.
Mitsubishi Materials is making efforts to secure a steady supply of copper concentrates, which are used to smelt copper, as a company aiming to be a leader in resource recycling of non- ferrous metals by FY2031. Just as we acquired stakes in Chile’s Mantoverde copper mine in 2021, in recent years we are continuing to invest in mines to achieve our goal of securing 500,000 tons of copper concentrates through our mine assets. Additionally, we are promoting the development of technology for extracting the variety of rare metals that come from copper deposits, which produce copper ore, and the construction of an eco-friendly smelting system that contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases and more.
Taking advantage of our world- leading capacity in electrolytic copper provision
The amount of metal resources we can mine from the earth is limited. That is why we are now setting our attention on the gold, silver, copper, and other metals used in the circuit boards of electronic devices. We remove old circuit boards, or E-Scrap, from used electronic devices and turn them into reusable materials. It is said that the amount of E-Scrap will double within the next 10 years due to the recent increase in the recycling rate of electronic devices. Further, with the growth of copper demand, the lock-in of E-Scrap is predicted to normalize around the world.
Mitsubishi Materials is proud to be a world leader in processing E-Scrap. We have the capacity to process 160,000 tons a year, and because we foresee more growth in the E-Scrap market, we are aiming to improve our capac- ity even further. Moreover, we made E-Scrap transactions more convenient by starting MEX (Mitsubishi Materials E-Scrap Exchange), an online platform where necessary E-Scrap transaction information can be viewed at any time, in 2021.
In addition to these efforts, Mitsubishi Materials is accelerating international development and establishing itself as a core supplier of resource recycling using its world-leading capacity of elec- trolytic copper provision.
Mitsubishi Materials is proud to be a world leader in processing E-Scrap. We have the capacity to process 160,000 tons a year, and because we foresee more growth in the E-Scrap market, we are aiming to improve our capac- ity even further. Moreover, we made E-Scrap transactions more convenient by starting MEX (Mitsubishi Materials E-Scrap Exchange), an online platform where necessary E-Scrap transaction information can be viewed at any time, in 2021.
In addition to these efforts, Mitsubishi Materials is accelerating international development and establishing itself as a core supplier of resource recycling using its world-leading capacity of elec- trolytic copper provision.
FOCUS
Carving out a future for new batteries with the power of recycling
Lithium-ion battery recycling process in early stages of development
The number of disposed lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will increase to tens of times as much by 2030 due to the normalization of electric vehicles (xEVs). In response, Mitsubishi Materials is partnering with Envipro Holdings Inc. and VOLTA to develop LIB recycling technology on the premise of commer- cialization. We will utilize the network we have built through our E-Scrap business to gather black mass (a concentrate of lithium, cobalt, and nickel extracted from discharged, dried, crushed, and sorted LIBs), which is key to the business, from various locations. This will strengthen our ability to compete internationally.
Carving out a future for new batteries with the power of recycling
Lithium-ion battery recycling process in early stages of development
The number of disposed lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will increase to tens of times as much by 2030 due to the normalization of electric vehicles (xEVs). In response, Mitsubishi Materials is partnering with Envipro Holdings Inc. and VOLTA to develop LIB recycling technology on the premise of commer- cialization. We will utilize the network we have built through our E-Scrap business to gather black mass (a concentrate of lithium, cobalt, and nickel extracted from discharged, dried, crushed, and sorted LIBs), which is key to the business, from various locations. This will strengthen our ability to compete internationally.
