世界の銅鉱山開発と鉱山技術  [in Japanese] Development of Copper Mines and Mine Technologies in the World  [in Japanese]

In the last decade, from around 1990 to 2000, movement of merger and acquisition in the world mining industry was activated in accordance with the globalization of the world economy. This study discusses the issues related to the world copper mine production and changes on the mining technologies during this decade. At first, trend of world copper production and consumption was analyzed, then technology tendencies in this decade was discussed with the results of the research and analysis on the world newly developed copper mines. Mine technologies, put to practical use in this decade, were picked up. The main points resulting from the study include: - production from openpit mines were increased, and enlargement of the mine size as well as cost reduction is remarkable,- efficiency of the mine operation employing larger machinery and facilities to handle large amount of ores is one of the key factors of mine technologies,- IT is rapidly facilitated to the mines and mills for reducing operation costs and the efficient control, and- SX-EW production of copper mine is remarkably increased and it is considered that a production technology, such as hydrometallurgy for the primary sulfide copper ore, which enable metal production at mine site should change the mining industry in future.