古遠部鉱山跡
鉱山が位置する県北東部一帯は、かつては国内有数の黒鉱の産地として知られました。 黒鉱とは海底の火山活動に伴って生じた黒色の複雑硫化鉱であり、重晶石や黄鉱、珪鉱とともに層をなして地中に生成されます。 成分中に金や銀、銅などの様々な有用金属を含有するため、地下資源に乏しい日本において 20 世紀半ばより重要鉱物として位置づけられました。 古遠部鉱床群は東西 800 m、南北 1,000 m の範囲に分布し、三菱の経営下で高品位の黒鉱や黄鉱を産出しました。 1911 年（明治 44 年）の鉱山発見以降、北部を中心にして繰り返し探鉱が実施されますが、有益な発見は得られることなく長い期間を経ることとなります。 こうした中、三菱鉱業から分離した太平鉱業（後の三菱金属鉱業）は近隣鉱山における新鉱床の発見を受け、1958 年（昭和 33 年）より大規模な探鉱を実施して湯ノ沢、大黒沢、曲り屋沢鉱床を相次いで発見しました。 1963 年（昭和 38 年）より試験操業を開始し、1969 年（昭和 44 年）に東又沢鉱床の開発に着手して生産の拡大を図ります。 周辺に鉱員住宅などの厚生施設を持たないため、従業員は専用バスを用いて鹿角市花輪、尾去沢より往復しました。 1976 年（昭和 51 年）に三菱金属は古遠部鉱業を新設して経営を移し、南古遠部鉱山として操業を継続させます。 1983 年（昭和 58 年）の月産粗鉱量は 13,400 t を記録し、従業員数は 291 名に上りましたが、まもなく高品位鉱石の減少や円高などの影響を受けて閉山を迎えることとなります。 周辺には竪坑や選鉱設備を備えた鉱山事務所跡が現在も残ります。
1986 年閉山
Furutobe Mine
The mine is located in the northeastern part of the prefecture, and the region was renowned for producing black ore. The black ore, called "Kuroko", is a complex sulfide ore generated by submarine volcanic activity, and its deposit is formed in layers along with barite, yellow ore, siliceous ore, and others. The ore contains useful metals, such as gold, silver, copper, and lead, and acquired importance for Japan with poor mineral resources in the late 20th century. Furutobe Deposits, scattered over an area of 800 meters from east to west and 1,000 meters from north to south, produced high-grade black ore and yellow ore under the management of Mitsubishi. The mine was discovered in 1911, and then exploration was mainly repeated in the northern part of the mine. Nevertheless, the operations could not bring results for many years. Meanwhile, the metal department became independent as Taihei Mining Co., Ltd., later Mitsubishi Metal Mining Co., Ltd. Taking the opportunity of the ore deposits discovery at neighboring mines, full-scale exploration began in 1958. As a result, the company discovered ore deposits successively, namely, Yunosawa, Okurosawa, and Magariyasawa. Trial operations began in 1963, and development of new ore deposits began at Higashi-Matasawa in 1969. No housing was provided around the mine, and dedicated buses shuttled employees between the mine and Hanawa or Osarizawa, Kazuno City. In 1976, Furutobe Mining Co., Ltd., separated from Mitsubishi Metal Corporation, took over the operations and renamed the mine Minami-Furutobe Mine. In 1983, the mine employed 291 people, and crude ore output was recorded at 13,400 tonnes per month. However, the mine was closed under the effects of a decrease in high-grade ore and the strong yen. The remains of a mining office with a vertical shaft and beneficiation equipment can be seen even now.
closure in 1986
秋田県鹿角郡小坂町小坂古遠部
金、銀、銅、鉛、亜鉛、硫化鉄
Kosaka-Furutobe, Kosaka Town, Kazuno County, Akita
gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron sulfide
