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Mitsubishi Materials Corporation has established the "Guideline of Mass Balance Credit Model for Copper Products" (the "Guideline"). The Guideline complies with ISO 22095 (*1) and ISO 22095-2 (*2), which define the mass balance credit model (*3), and clarifies the rules that should be applied throughout the value chain.

In recent years, as social demands for decarbonization and resource recycling have increased, the copper industry has seen a rapid increase in demand for products made from materials with lower greenhouse gas emissions and recycled materials.
However, typical copper smelters, which produce mixtures of ore-derived copper concentrates and various scrap raw materials, have faced challenges in supplying products individually derived from specific materials, such as recycled materials, including materials derived from end-of-life vehicles. The mass balance credit model has been attracting attention in recent years as a solution to this challenge. In response, our company has established the Guideline.
In developing the Guideline, ISO TC 308 (*4) experts from our company participated to achieve both high reliability of ISO compliance and feasibility in business operations. In addition, following a critical review (*5) conducted by the Japan Life Cycle Assessment Facilitation Centre (President: Dr. Atsushi Inaba), the Guideline was confirmed by a third party as compliant with ISO 22095 and ISO 22095-2, marking the first such confirmation in the copper industry (*6).
The electrolytic copper supply service, which applies ISO-compliant mass balance in accordance with the Guideline, has been added to our company's REMINE recycled metal brand lineup. On the dedicated REMINE website, users can refer to the Guideline and the critical review certificate issued by the third party.

REMINE Website
URL: https://www.mmc.co.jp/remine/en/index.html

The development of the Guideline is positioned as Mitsubishi Materials' initiative to strengthen customer touchpoints and provide high-value-added products within resource circulation loops, in line with the Medium-term Management Strategy (FYE March 2027-2029) to become a company committed to "creating the future through resource circulation." Mitsubishi Materials Group has established "For people, society and the earth, circulating resources for a sustainable future" as Our Commitment. Going forward, our company will continue to accelerate its contribution to a sustainable society by building a highly transparent supply chain that complies with international standards and striving to realize Our Commitment.

(*1)

ISO 22095:2020, "Chain of custody — General terminology and models."
Requirements for five chain of custody models, including the mass balance model, are specified.

(*2)

ISO 22095-2:2026, "Chain of custody — Part 2: Requirements and guidelines for mass balance."
Requirements and guidelines for applying the mass balance model to all industries are defined.

(*3)

A mass balance model using a method in which credits are issued for specified characteristics of raw materials, and the issued credits are attributed to products or portions of products. A mass balance model is one of the five chain of custody models defined in ISO 22095:2020. It is a model in which materials or products with specified characteristics are mixed with materials or products without those characteristics according to defined criteria. Chain of custody is a process in which inputs, outputs, and related information are transferred, monitored, and controlled as they pass through the relevant stages of the value chain.

(*4)

The ISO TC is a committee within the International Organization for Standardization that develops standards for specific technical fields. It is composed of ISO member countries and reviews and develops standards. TC308 is responsible for ISO 22095, ISO 22095-2, etc.

(*5)

The process by which ISO TC308 experts verify whether the guidelines meet the requirements of ISO 22095 and ISO 22095-2.

(*6)

Based on our research as of April 2026, the Guideline is the first in the copper industry to have its compliance with ISO 22095 and ISO 22095-2 confirmed by a third party.

[Related release]

January 16, 2024
Launching Japan's First Recycled Metal Brand "REMINE" Tin and Lead Go on Sale as the First Products
URL: https://www.mmc.co.jp/corporate/en/news/2024/news20240116.html

December 10, 2024
Unveiling Four Additions to the Recycling Metal Brand "REMINE"
URL: https://www.mmc.co.jp/corporate/en/news/2024/news20241210.html

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