Japanese earthquake - Japanese copper output to drop in H1 F2011

Japan Metal Bulletin reported that Japanese major nonferrous metals smelters plan to reduce copper ingot production by near 20% in H1 of fiscal 2011 started April from same period of fiscal 2010.

The major earthquake impacts on the production when Mitsubishi Materials group's Onahama smelter in Fukushima stopped the operation while Sumitomo Metal Mining plans major maintenance outage at Toyo smelter in Ehime. Their zinc production also decreases by more than 20% when Mitsui Mining & Smelting group's Hachinohe smelter in Aomori.