NED was established as the mineral exploration arm of the Nippon Mining & Metals Co., inheriting the science and technology developed through active mining experience of almost a hundred years. Thus our present scientific and engineering expertise have been developed with basis on our long experiences. We are presently engaged in the following lines of work. Major lines of work ■Geological investigations (aerial-photograph interpretation; evaluation of active fault zones, land slide areas, and hydrothermally altered zones). ■Hydrological investigations. ■Investigation of abandoned mine sites (evaluation of mineralization characteristics and environmental assessment). ■Environment management planning of mine sites and other areas. ■Designing deep underground facilities. ■Designing waste disposal sites. ■Groundwater monitoring based on 3-dimensional hydrological simulation models. ■In-situ tests of soils, groundwater, and physical properties of rocks. ■Laboratory tests of physical properties of rocks, and dissolution characteristics of soils and rocks. ■Chemical analyses of soils, rocks, and waters.