Korea Zinc Launches 'Crucible' to Establish U.S. Core Mineral Hub

Establishing an Integrated Hub Based on Smelter Acquisition

Targeting Completion by 2029

Korea Zinc has officially announced the full-scale launch of its integrated smelter construction project in the United States, known as 'Project Crucible.'

Yoonbeom Choi, Chairman of Korea Zinc (center front row), is personally touring the smelting plant facilities with local employees in the United States. Korea Zinc

On April 2, Korea Zinc held an inauguration ceremony for Crucible Zinc Inc. and its affiliated companies in Clarksville, Tennessee, marking its first official communication since acquiring the local smelter. The event, titled the 'Day One Ceremony,' was organized to share the project's vision and to facilitate organizational integration.

Key executives, including Chairman Choi Yunbeom, President Park Giwon, President Lee Seungho, and General Manager Kim Kijun, attended the event. Important local figures, such as the Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee and the Mayor of Montgomery County, were also present. The participants toured both the existing smelter and the new site to review the project’s progress.

'Project Crucible' is a major investment initiative aimed at establishing a core mineral supply chain within the United States. Korea Zinc plans to use the acquisition of the Nyrstar USA smelter as a base for securing a local production hub and will expand this into a core mineral production center.

In particular, the company intends to maintain employment of the existing smelter workforce, combining skilled personnel with Korea Zinc's technological expertise to ensure initial operational stability. Korea Zinc also plans to recover strategic minerals such as germanium, gallium, and indium by recycling smelting byproducts. In addition, a raw material supply system utilizing mining assets will be established concurrently.

Korea Zinc aims to begin construction in 2027 and complete the project by 2029, building an integrated smelter that will produce basic metals such as zinc, lead, and copper, as well as core minerals designated by the U.S. government and sulfuric acid for semiconductors.

Chairman Choi Yunbeom stated, "Project Crucible marks the starting point of a new future for Korea Zinc. We will concentrate all our technology and capabilities to build a world-class core mineral processing facility."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.