Japan's number one nickel producer, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., will cut refined nickel output by 23 per cent, and ferronickel output by 20 per cent, from April to September, compared to last year.
The production drop comes as consumer demand drops as Japan prepares for it's worst recession since 1945. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development projected Japan's economy to shrink by 6.6 per cent.
Copper production by Sumitomo is predicted to go up from last year's slump that was caused by the mining of lower grade ore and maintenance at their Toyo smelter, located in Ehime prefecture.
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