SUSTAINABLE METALS PRODUCTION AND RECYCLING IN JAPAN: THE PRESENT AND ISSUES

摘要

It is said that the energy and resources crisis will come before long because the lifetime of known deposits of crude oil and common metals such as Pb, Zn, Cu is estimated to be less than 50 years. Establishing the sustainable society by means of resources-recycling has become an absolute necessity. The non-ferrous metals industry in Japan has been involved in the resource- recycling business for many years, along with the introduction and enforcement of various legislations to preserve the environment and natural resources. Including process-linkage during various manufacturing activities, the non-ferrous metals industry, the iron-making and cement industries are treating considerable amounts of recycled materials and wastes, in an environmentally-sound and economic manner. The Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan has submitted "The present and issues in Japanese non-ferrous metals and recycling industries." The topic of the paper is to highlight the actual conditions within the resources-recycling structures and the present issues.