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Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (CEO: Naoki Ono, hereafter "MMC") and Kyoto University (President: Nagahiro Minato) established the Laboratory of Non-ferrous Extractive Metallurgy in April 2017 with endowed chairs supported by MMC, and its courses have been provided in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, and its second term has started in April 2022.
In recent years, the importance of the decarbonization of society, especially as represented by use of EVs and renewable energy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is globally advocated and, to realize this, recycling of non-ferrous metals is expected to continue to be demanded by society. In order to meet such expectations, the activities of the first term will be enhanced in the second term, including further expansion of Web courses for young engineers and strengthening of support for overseas study for graduate students.
We intend to facilitate the development of human resources required by the non-ferrous metallurgical industry and maintain the industry in Japan to contribute to the realization of a society with even more advanced sustainability by making use of the recycling business.

1. Background and purpose of the establishment of the laboratory

   At present, some Japanese universities have difficulty in maintaining non-ferrous extractive metallurgy courses, which are being abolished or reorganized. In some cases, research activities are taking place under the name of a course in another field that does not include the name "extractive metallurgy." For that reason, "non-ferrous extractive metallurgy" courses of study at undergraduates and graduate schools of universities are on a declining trend in terms of both quality and quantity. Therefore, MMC and Kyoto University established and opened this laboratory with endowed chairs in April 2017 with the shared recognition that the development of non-ferrous extractive metallurgy studies and its applied recycling technology is an important field for Japan, which is aiming at national development through technological innovation and the realization of a recycling-oriented society.


Details of activities through the endowed laboratory

2. Overview of the second term of the endowed laboratory

   1. Affiliation
      Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University (continued)
      

      *This department has been developed out of the historic Department of Mining and Metallurgy established in the year after the foundation of Kyoto University.
      Even now, Kyoto University is western Japan's biggest research base in non-ferrous extractive metallurgy.

   2. Personnel structure

      Professor (concurrent professor)

      Tetsuya Uda

      Program-Specific Associate Professor

      Kouji Yasuda

      Assistant Professor (concurrent assistant professor)

      Akihiro Kishimoto

      Program-Specific Assistant Professor

      Accepting applications

   3. Course Period
      April 2022 to March 2025

3. Details of endowed laboratory activities

   The activities of the first term will be continued with some of the activities developed as described below.
   1. Opening of Web courses on thermodynamics and electrochemistry intended for young engineers
      Establish basic and advanced courses to strengthen the development of young engineers.
   2. Enhancement of education for graduate students
      Plan to support with overseas site visits and virtual overseas study seminars
   3. Holding of conferences intended for young researchers
      Expand the scope of intended participants to middle-level researchers (possibility for discussion in the form of a Web conference)

4. Past activity results

   Major results of activities in the first term (April 2017 to March 2022) are as follows.
   
   1. Basic research on non-ferrous metallurgy and recycling processes for the future
      The researchers belonging to the laboratory produced results in the following basic research for the development of a highly efficient process to support a resource-circulating society 20 years on.
      • Development of E-Scrap recycling technology, etc.
      • Basic research on technology for zinc electrolysis in basic solution
      • Development of waste LIB recycling technology
   2. Web courses on thermodynamics and electrochemistry intended for young engineers
      Six professors and associate professors belonging to the department offered Web courses on materials engineering intended for young engineers on the metallurgical site, which were taken by a total of 96 people from 31 companies.
      
      
      

      

      
   3. Enlightenment and education activities for high school students
      Experiment practice entitled "Let's make gold, silver and copper!" was provided for high school students in various occasions as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience that would motivate them to apply for metal and materials courses at the faculty of engineering.
      
      

      

Through the activities of this endowed laboratory, MMC and Kyoto University will develop human resources to lead and innovate the non-ferrous metallurgical industry in the future and contribute to further development of the key industries that support a sustainable society and conservation of the global environment.

【Related information】
Website of Laboratory of Non-ferrous Extractive Metallurgy,
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University
URL : https://www.aqua.mtl.kyoto-u.ac.jp/wordpress/NF/

<Contact details for inquiries>
Corporate Communications Dep., Management Strategy Div.,
Strategic Headquarters, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation+81-3-5252-5206
Laboratory of Non-ferrous Extractive Metallurgy Office, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University
MAIL : non-ferrous-kyoto@aqua.mtl.kyoto-u.ac.jp