Japan's mineral resources

These are metal mines found in Japan. As you can see, the location of the mines are concentrated in specific areas of the country. Many mines were in development throughout Japan. However, complex geological structures, small-scale mining, high expenditures for prevention of pollution, and environmental conservation resulted in the closure of most mines. The Hishikari Gold Mine in northern Kagoshima Prefecture is the only large-scale gold mine in Japan due to the discovery of many ore veins with high gold content.