県北西部にそびえる八幡平中腹の標高約 900 m に位置し、胚胎する鉱床は直径約 1,500 m、最大厚約 150 m に及び、東洋一の規模を誇りました。 1882 年（明治 15 年）に地元村民 佐々木和七が赤川上流に露頭を発見し、六年後に兄 和助とともに試掘権を取得します。 後に権利の譲渡が幾度となく繰り返され、明治末期に寄木硫黄山、岩手硫黄山と名を変えて小規模に稼行されました。 1913 年（大正 2 年）に横浜の貿易商 増田合名会社の経営に移ると硫黄の豊富な埋蔵量が確認され、大規模開発に向けて翌年に松尾鉱業が設立されます。 化学工業の発達を受けて生産を拡大させ、1922 年（大正 11 年）以降は国内首位を独占しました。 さらに、1921 年（大正 10 年）より硫化鉄鉱の採掘を開始して各地の硫酸工場へと売鉱します。 昭和期に入ると海外にも販路を拡大させ、精製硫黄を横浜港からオーストラリア、ニュージーランドへ、硫化鉄鉱を八戸港から日本統治下の朝鮮、満州へと送りました。 こうした中、82 名の死者が生じた 1939 年（昭和 14 年）の落盤事故をはじめ、相次ぐ火災や空襲被害、労働力不足により、1941 年（昭和 16 年）を境にして生産量は減少に転じます。 終戦後は産業政策や朝鮮戦争特需、化学工業の発展を受けて急成長を遂げ、1956 年（昭和 31 年）の粗鉱生産量は 100 万 t を上回り、硫化鉄鉱 635,936 t、精製硫黄 79,499 t が生産されました。 しかし同じ頃、化学繊維業界の不振が需要の減少を招き、石油などの精製過程で副産される回収硫黄の流通が拍車をかけます。 1966 年（昭和 41 年）とその翌年に再び 100 万 t を超える年間出鉱量を記録して最盛期を迎えますが、過剰生産や輸入自由化、回収硫黄の普及に伴って後に閉山を迎えることとなります。 周辺には 1951 年（昭和 26 年）建造のアパートなどが今も残ります。
1972 年閉山
The mine is located at an altitude of 900 meters on the hillside of Mt. Hachimantai in the northwestern part of the prefecture. Its ore deposit consisting of four ore bodies had a diameter of 1,500 meters with a maximum thickness of 150 meters, which was referred to as the largest in the East. Washichi Sasaki, a local villager, discovered an outcrop in 1882 and applied for an exploration permit together with his elder brother Wasuke six years later. Subsequently, mining rights were transferred several times, and the mine was operated on a small scale under the name of Yoriki Sulfur Mine and later Iwate Sulfur Mine in the early 20th century. Masuda General Partnership, a trading company in Yokohama, acquired the rights in 1913 and identified rich sulfur reserves through mineral exploration. Thereupon, the company established Matsuo Mining Co., Ltd. the following year and initiated a large-scale mine devlopment. The mine increased its production due to a rise in demand for sulfur with the development of the chemical industry, and its output held the first place in the country from 1922. The company began iron sulfide ore mining in 1921 and sold its concentrate to sulfuric acid plants. Additionally, the company developed overseas sales channels in the first half of the 20th century. As a result, products were exported, namely, refined sulphur from Yokohama Port to Australia and New Zealand, and iron sulfide ore from Hachinohe Port to the then colonized Manchuria and Korea. Under such circumstances, production decreased from 1941 due to a cave-in accident killing 82 miners in 1939, successive fires, air raids, and a labor shortage. After the war, production multiplied owing to industrial policies, the special procurement demand during the Korean War, and the development of the chemical industry. The rapidly grown mine produced over one million tonnes of crude ore, 635,936 tonnes of iron sulfide ore, and 79,499 tonnes of refined sulfur in 1956. Around the same time, the demand for sulfur products declined from the effects of a downturn in the chemical fiber industry, and furthermore, the distribution of sulfur recovered from petroleum refining exacerbated the decline later. In 1966 and 1967, the mine produced over one million tonnes of crude ore again, reaching its peak. However, the mine was closed due to overproduction, trade liberalization, and the spread of recovered sulfur. The remains of apartment houses built in 1951 can be seen even now.
closure in 1972
岩手県八幡平市松尾寄木
硫黄、硫化鉄、鉄
Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai City, Iwate
sulfur, iron sulfide, iron
生産拠点となる元山では広大な露天採掘場に隣接して選鉱場や製錬所、貯鉱舎など、数多くの施設が設けられて稼働を続けました。 麓の屋敷台との間には 3.6 km にわたって 4 基の索道が並び、製品や生産資材、日用品が運搬されます。 屋敷台は搬出拠点として整備され、花輪線大更駅までの 12.2 km の区間を専用鉄道が繋ぎ、1948 年（昭和 23 年）に地方鉄道として開業を迎えて旅客輸送を始めました。 1952 年（昭和 27 年）の従業員数は 4,897 名に上り、家族を含む 15,000 人ほどの人々が元山と屋敷台に築かれた鉱山町で生活を営みます。 元山は高所に位置しながら 11 棟の鉄筋コンクリート製アパートをはじめ、390 棟もの長屋、小中学校や定時制高校、病院、郵便局、劇場などを備えて鉱山都市としての様相を呈し、雲上の楽園と称されました。
Motoyama area was developed into a production base, and numerous mining facilities, such as beneficiation plants, refineries, and ore storage facilities, were built beside the opencast mining sites. Four aerial cableways, each with a length of 3.6 kilometers, run in parallel and connected Motoyama to Yashikidai, located at the base of the mine, transporting products, production materials, and daily necessities. Yashikidai area was developed into a shipment base, and an exclusive railway line was laid to connect Obuke Station on the JNR Hanawa Line with a distance of 12.2 kilometers. The railway line also began operations for carriage of passengers as a local line from 1948. The number of employees totaled 4,897 in 1952, and mining towns at Motoyama and Yashikidai had a total population of 15,000. Motoyama, located on the heights, had 11 apartment houses made of reinforced concrete, 390 row houses, an elementary school, a junior high school, a part-time high school, a hospital, a post office, a theater, and others. Its appearance like a mining city was praised as a "Paradise above the Clouds".
元山地区
Motoyama area
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
屋敷台地区
Yashikidai area
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
© 国土地理院
The Remains Photographed in
Abandoned Matsuo Mine
松尾鉱業の創設以降、およそ 2,900 万 t の鉱石が採掘され、1,000 万 t の硫酸原料と 210 万 t の硫黄が生産されました。坑道の標高差は 245 m に及び、総延長は 255 km に達します。
The mine produced 29 million tonnes of ore, 10 million tonnes of raw material for sulfuric acid, and 2.1 million tonnes of sulfur after the foundation of Matsuo Mining Co., Ltd. The mine tunnels have a difference of elevation of 245 meters and a total length of 255 kilometers.
鉄筋コンクリート製の緑ヶ丘アパートは 1951 年（昭和 26 年）に建設され、スチーム暖房や水洗トイレなどの近代設備を完備し、雲上の楽園と謳われた鉱山都市の繁栄を象徴しました。
Midorigaoka Apartment Houses were built with reinforced concrete in 1951 and were provided with modern conveniences, such as a steam heating system and flushing toilets. They became a symbol of prosperity of the mining city, which was praised as a "Paradise above the Clouds".
鉱山のそばを流れる赤川には大量の強酸性水が流出して北上川本流を汚染しました。閉山後、国と県によって中和処理施設が建設され、現在も坑廃水の中和処理が行われています。
A large amount of highly acidic drainage flowed into the Akagawa River, flowing near the mine, and contaminated the main stream of the Kitakami River. After the closure of the mine, the nation and the prefecture built a neutralization treatment facility, and its operation has been continuing.
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