How Does the Process of Planetary Mine Incorporate a Remote Island?: A Case Study of Naoshima Island, Japan

This paper examines the incorporation of Naoshima into planetary-scale mining logistics, with a particular focus on the island’s copper smelting history. Situated in the Seto Inland Sea, Naoshima hosts a copper smelting facility operated by Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. By applying planetary mining theory, particularly the frameworks developed by Arboleda (2020) and Labban (2014), this study analyzes Naoshima’s development within a global industrial network. Specifically, it explores the historical division of labor between mining and smelting on the island and traces how the Naoshima Smelter shifted to reliance on imported copper ore following the closure of nearby mines. Despite challenges in the domestic copper smelting industry, Naoshima sustained its smelting infrastructure and from the 1990s onward, successfully transitioned into an urban mining center, recycling metals from electronic waste. This transformation was largely driven by Japan’s adoption of environmentally sustainable industrial policies. Having sustained its copper smelting operations for over a century, Naoshima has emerged as a global hub for metal recycling. This paper illustrates how copper smelting on remote islands has shaped resource extraction and urbanization on a planetary scale, situating Naoshima’s trajectory within broader global processes. Naoshima’s historical and enduring role as a smelting center exemplifies the larger trend of globalization, wherein resource extraction extends beyond traditional mining to encompass urban recycling. Future research must further investigate the evolving dynamics between local communities and global resource networks.