「ARCHIVES」について
ウェブサイト「ARCHIVES」は、東北と新潟の鉱山跡に残る遺構を写真に記録し、歴史とともに紹介することを目的として 2016 年に開設しました。
古くは朝廷や幕府の振興のもとに興隆した日本の鉱業は、明治期に入ると国の重要産業に位置づけられ、拡大する軍備を背景に近代化の道を歩みました。 その後、日本が敗戦から復興を遂げて経済成長に向かう中、重化学工業の発展は鉱産資源の需要を急速に高め、鉱業に再び活況をもたらしました。 一方、石油への燃料転換は石炭鉱業に構造的な不況をもたらし、増加を続ける国内需要は輸入資源の台頭に拍車をかけ、日本の鉱業はかつてない難局に直面することとなります。 やがて、各地の鉱山は高品位鉱石の減少と円相場の高騰を受けて衰退の一途を辿り、その多くが閉鎖を迎えました。
膨大な資金と労力、時間を費やして築かれた鉱山施設は、役目を終えた現在もなお、山中に厳かな佇まいを残し、往時の繁栄を偲ばせます。 時間の経過は素材の変質や植物による侵食をもたらし、そこは匂いや湿気を帯びた空気を湛え、趣と存在感に満ちた空間へと創り上げられていきます。 巨大な建造物が自然へと還りゆく中で見せる美しさ、かつての喧騒を失い、廃墟と化した空間に漂う静寂の空気、寂寥感、空虚感などを写真を通してご鑑賞いただければ幸いに思います。
なお、鉱業には鉱毒による環境汚染問題の他、殉職者を伴う鉱山災害、軍需産業への支援、朝鮮人をはじめ、中国人や外国人捕虜に対する強制労働などの歴史があります。 当サイトは、被害に遭われた方やそのご遺族に、不快な思いを抱かせることを目的としたものではありません。
About This Website
This website, established in 2016, presents photographs and history of industrial heritage sites with a focus on abandoned mines in the Tohoku region and Niigata, Japan.
The Japanese mining industry, which prospered through the promotion of the Imperial Court and later the Shogunate in earlier times, was gradually modernized from the Meiji period onward in line with military expansion. During the period of rapid economic growth after the war, the development of the heavy and chemical industries rapidly increased the demand for mineral resources and brought prosperity to the mining industry. Meanwhile, an energy revolution, a shift from coal to oil, brought about structural recession in the coal mining industry. Additionally, an increase in domestic demand accelerated the influx of inexpensive imported resources, and the mining industry faced an unprecedented situation. Subsequently, numerous mines fell into decline due to the decrease in high-grade ore and the sharp appreciation of the yen, resulting in successive closures.
Mining facilities, which took an enormous amount of money, labor, and time to construct, still stand in the mountains even after losing their function and retain remnants of their former prosperity. Moreover, material deterioration and plant invasion progress over time, creating a space with an atmosphere and presence, where smells and humidity hang in the air. I would appreciate it if you could take an interest in the beauty of the structures returning to nature, or if you could experience the silence, desolation, and emptiness of the abandoned ruins through the medium of photographs.
It should be noted that, the history of the mining industry includes mine disasters with death tolls, support for the munitions industry, and the use of Koreans, Chinese, and Allied prisoners of war for forced labor, in addition to the problem of environmental pollution. This website is not intended to cause discomfort to anyone.
東北の鉱山
日本の鉱業は複雑な地質を反映した多様な地下資源によって支えられ、金属、非金属鉱床が国内に広く分布した一方、炭田は北海道や九州をはじめとする一部の地域に偏在し、油田やガス田は本州北部の日本海沿岸地域や房総半島の一部に集中しました。
鉱業生産が拡大した戦時体制下の 1940 年（昭和 15 年）、国内の鉱山数は 5,850 を数え、労働者数は 569,575 人に上りました。 このうち、東北では 1,161 の鉱山が操業し、80,647 人の労働者が鉱業に従事しました。 鉱種区分別では金属 756、非金属 42、石炭 113、亜炭 149、石油 101 と金属鉱山数が最も多く、鉄、鉛、砂鉄、硫化鉄の生産が高い比率を占めました。 東北は釜石をはじめ、大畑や久慈を有する重要な鉄資源の供給地であり、国内の鉄鉱生産が最大に達した 1944 年（昭和 19 年）に全国の 48.5 % にあたる鉄鉱と 49.1 % の砂鉄を産出しました。 終戦後、荒廃の中にあった日本の鉱業は、経済政策のもとで石炭生産を再建し、朝鮮戦争に伴う特需景気を受けて復興に向かうこととなります。
福島の常磐炭田では戦後間もなく出炭量が戦前の水準まで回復し、その後も高度経済成長期を通じて安定的に推移しました。 日本が経済成長を続ける中、釜石をはじめとする主要鉱山も回復を経て増産に転じ、細倉や松尾は後に著しい発展を遂げました。 同じ頃、秋田の北鹿地域では相内や小坂で黒鉱鉱床の発見が相次ぎ、産状の解明に向けて地質調査が拡大する契機となりました。 これを受けて、古遠部、花岡、花輪、釈迦内などに新たな鉱床の発見が続き、同地域は非鉄金属鉱業の中心地へと発展します。 こうした背景のもと、東北の鉱業生産は昭和末期にかけて高い水準で推移し、戦後の重化学工業の発展に大きく寄与しました。 高度経済成長期の終盤にあたる 1970 年（昭和 45 年）、東北の鉱産量が全国に占める割合は、金属鉱物（精鉱中含有量）において、銀 39.7 %、銅 59.1 %、鉛 48.3 %、亜鉛 40.3 %、硫化鉄 46.3 %、鉄 67.4 %、砂鉄 44.1 %、チタン 63.4 % と高い値を示しました。 非金属鉱物（精鉱量）と燃料鉱物においても、石膏 56.1 %、重晶石 73.9 %、亜炭 81.2 % と一部に突出した値が見られました。 一方、新潟は国内最大の産油地として知られ、全国の 76.5 % にあたる原油と 72.0 % の天然ガスが生産されました。
しかし、当時の日本は、輸入資源に対する依存度が急速に高まるとともに、資源開発の主軸が海外に移行し始めた時期にありました。 国内の鉱山は石炭、金属鉱業を中心に操業規模の縮小を余儀なくされ、昭和末期にかけて各地で閉山が相次ぐこととなります。 2016 年（平成 28 年）における国内の鉱山数は 519、労働者数は 11,426 人と大幅に数を減らし、東北の鉱山数は 74、労働者数は 1,180 人を数えるまでに至りました。 現在では、石灰石や珪石を産出する非金属鉱山が最も多く稼行され、油田やガス田においても小規模に生産が続けられています。
Mines in Tohoku
Japan has a wide variety of underground resources originating from its complex geological structure, which has supported the Japanese mining industry. Metal and non-metal deposits were distributed across various regions. In contrast, coalfields were concentrated in areas such as Hokkaido and Kyushu, while oil and gas fields were located along the Sea of Japan coast of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan, and on the Boso Peninsula.
In 1940, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the total number of mines and employees in the country reached 5,850 and 569,575, respectively. In the Tohoku region, these numbers totaled 1,161 and 80,647, respectively. The mines consisted of 756 metal mines, 42 non-metal mines, 113 coal mines, 149 lignite mines, and 101 oil and gas operations. Among metal resources, iron, lead, iron sand, and pyrite accounted for a high proportion of mineral production. The region comprises six prefectures in northern Honshu and was an important supply area of iron-bearing resources, including Kamaishi, Ohata, and Kuji. In 1944, the peak year of the nation's iron ore production, the region produced 48.5% of the country's iron concentrate and 49.1% of its iron sand concentrate, by content. After the end of the war, Japan's mining industry remained sluggish for a long time and began to recover due to economic policies for coal production, followed by special procurements during the Korean War.
In the Joban Coalfield, output returned to pre-war levels shortly after the war and subsequently remained stable throughout Japan's period of rapid economic growth. As Japan's economy continued to grow, major mines in the region, including Kamaishi, also recovered production and moved toward increased production. Among them, Hosokura and Matsuo Mines experienced significant growth later. Around the same time, major kuroko deposits were discovered in succession at Ainai and Kosaka Mines in the Hokuroku area, Akita Prefecture. These discoveries were a catalyst for the expansion of geological surveys on the distribution of kuroko deposits. As a result, new ore deposits were discovered in succession at mines in the Hokuroku area, such as Furutobe, Hanaoka, Hanawa, and Shakanai, and the area developed into a major center of Japan's non-ferrous metal mining industry. In this context, the Tohoku region, including Akita Prefecture, maintained a high level of mineral production until the late 1980s and supported the expansion of heavy and chemical industries during the postwar period. In 1970, during the late stage of Japan's rapid economic growth, total metallic concentrate production in the region accounted for the following percentages of the national total by content: 39.7% of silver, 59.1% of copper, 48.3% of lead, 40.3% of zinc, 46.3% of pyrite, 67.4% of iron, 44.1% of iron sand, and 63.4% of titanium. The production of non-metallic concentrates and fuel minerals stood out in certain commodities and accounted for the following percentages: 56.1% of gypsum, 73.9% of barite, and 81.2% of lignite. Meanwhile, Niigata Prefecture had the largest oil production in Japan, accounting for 76.5% of crude oil and 72.0% of natural gas.
However, at that time, the degree of dependence on imported resources increased sharply in the country, and mining development activities began to shift overseas. Consequently, mainly coal and metal mines reduced their scale of operations out of necessity, and numerous mines in each area were closed one after another from the the middle to late 20th century. In 2016, the total number of mines and employees in the country decreased to 519 and 11,426, respectively. Similarly, in the Tohoku region, these numbers amounted to 74 and 1,180, respectively. Today, non-metal mines producing principally limestone and quartzite account for the majority of the country's mines, and several oil and gas fields also continue to operate on a small scale.