Foreign-affiliated companies have announced the discovery of multiple deposits of high-grade gold ore in Japan. Discoveries have been reported at the former Yamanogano Gold Mine in northern Kagoshima Prefecture and around Omu, Hokkaido, while further exploratory drilling, including confirmation of reserves, is considered necessary for commercial mining to become a reality.
It has emerged that several foreign-affiliated companies have made successive discoveries of ore containing high-grade gold in Japan. Multiple minerals have been confirmed at the former Yamanogano Gold Mine in northern Kagoshima Prefecture, and the high grades are said to indicate the potential for commercial-scale mining.
In Hokkaido, high-grade gold ore has been repeatedly discovered around Omu. Extremely high-grade ore was reported during the initial exploratory drilling, and high-grade ore is also said to have been recovered from multiple exploration adits.
The Canadian company Japan Gold is also said to have found ore with a grade of 24.1 grams around the former Konanai Gold Mine in Monbetsu, Hokkaido, raising the possibility of new mine development in Japan. At the same time, additional verification, including confirmation of reserves, is essential for gold mine development.
Foreign companies are showing growing interest in developing Japan's first new gold mine in half a century, but further exploratory drilling and evidence supporting the reserves will be required for the project to become a reality.