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Today’s Sumitomo Metal Mining was established in the post-WWII period, in 1950, when Sumitomo’s non-ferrous metals division became an independent company in line with the Occupation Administration’s policy of breaking up zaibatsu industrial conglomerates. The new company’s first tasks were rebuilding the domestic mines and refineries that had fallen into dilapidation during the war.
In 1973, the Besshi Mine, which had become the cornerstone of the entire the Sumitomo group, closed after a total of 283 years in operation. But the mining technology developed there lives on in the Hishikari Mine, discovered in 1981 and a producer of some of the world’s highest-quality ore. In its search for new sources of metal ore, Sumitomo Metal Mining now takes a global approach, working through management participation in overseas mines.
It continues to develop a tradition of non-ferrous metal smelting technology that stretches back to nanban-buki. Based on its world-class technology, it has built smelters with low environmental impact and developed a new nickel-manufacturing process. Applying its extensive knowledge of metals to the requirements of modern business, the company has also entered demanding fields such as electronics materials and functional materials.
A saying has it that “without mining, there is no technology at all.” Indeed, mining and all it entails—the knowledge, mining technologies, measuring methods, and smelting techniques needed to produce metals to enrich people’s lives—have played a key historical role in driving the development of science and technology. The saying also applies to Sumitomo Metal Mining, with its history of taking bold steps toward new possibilities, starting with one man’s perfection of a technology and carried forward by another’s rich resource discovery.
CORPORATE DATA As of March 31,2002
| FOUNDED |
1590 |
| INCORPORATED |
1950 |
| PAID-IN CAPITAL |
 88.3 billion |
| NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES |
8,332(consolidated) 2,637(parent) |
HISTORIC MILESTONES
| 1590 |
The Sumitomo family begins copper refining and craftwork in Kyoto.
Sumitomo was already involved in mine development. |
| 1691 |
Besshi copper mine opens. |
| 1950 |
Besshi Mining Co., Ltd. is founded from the metals division of Seika Mining Co., Ltd. |
| 1952 |
Company name is changed to Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. |
| 1960 |
Expansion into electronics materials business. |
| 1969 |
The Company’s electroytic copper is registered on the London Metal Exchange(LME). |
| 1971 |
Toyo copper smelters is completed. |
| 1973 |
Besshi copper mine closes. |
| 1977 |
Sumitomo Metal Mining Singapore Pte. Ltd. is founded to produce Lead frames. |
| 1981 |
Company is certified by LME as official smelter and assayer. |
| 1983 |
Hishikari gold mine is opens. |
| 1986 |
Company makes direct investment in Morenci copper mine, Arizona. |
| 1988 |
Company invests in P.T. Inco Indonesia. |
| 1991 |
Company agrees to invest in La Candelaria copper Deposit Development Project(Chile). |
| 1993 |
Nickel plant at Besshi District Division shifts to MCLE(Matte Chlorine Leach Electrowinning) method.
Company participates in Northparkes Mining Development project headed by North Brokenhill Peko Ltd. |
| 1998 |
Company invests in Teck Corporation(Canada). |
| 2001 |
Start of Nickel-Cobalt Processing Project at Rio Tuba in the Philippines. |
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TAB (Tape Automated Bonding)
Semiconductors are an integral part of modern life. This photo shows the tape automated bonding (TAB) process of bonding circuits to a semiconductor chip. Sumitomo Metal Mining uses the knowledge and technology developed over its long history to develop products for many different fields, including electronic device packages. |
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