HANAWA MINE.

Hanawa mine is located on the border of Akita and Iwate prefecture in northeastern Japan. The mine was purchased by Kuhara Mining Co. , Ltd. in 1920 and transferred to Nippon Mining Co. , Ltd. in 1929. The mine had undergone several shutdowns and reopenings and has been operated by Hanawa Mining Co. , Ltd. 100% owned subsidiary of Nippon Mining Co. , Ltd. , since 1973. The mine is defined as Kuroko ore deposit mine, of which deposits are in Shimokobezawa formation composed of volcanic and pyroclastic rocks of Miocene. Ore bodies are much variable and complicated in its massive to bedded form, tonnage and grade. A water bearing breccia zone is adjacent to the deposits. The underhand cut and fill with artificial roof stoping method is employed entirely. Two men crew conducts drilling, blasting, mucking and timbering work necessary for a stoping cycle. Ore and wastes are hauled by 2 to approx. 4 ton locomotives, wind up in 3 or 2 ton skips through No. 5 or No. 3 shaft and then trucked to the concentrator and on the waste dump. Filling materials are also trucked from the concentrator to the slime plants at the mine site.