Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee Visits Korea Zinc: "Expecting Stronger Korea-U.S. Partnership"

Lieutenant Governor McWhorter Visits Onsan Smelter

"A Milestone for Enhancing Economic Security Between Korea and the United States"

Korea Zinc is accelerating its "Project Crucible," which aims to build an integrated smelter in the United States with an investment of 7.4 billion dollars (approximately 11 trillion won).

On April 29, Korea Zinc announced that, on the previous day, Lieutenant Governor Stuart McWhorter and other officials from the state of Tennessee visited the Korea Zinc Onsan Smelter to discuss ways to strengthen mutual cooperation.

Stuart McWhorter, Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee (far left), is touring the Korea Zinc Onsan Smelter. Korea Zinc

This visit was arranged so that officials from Tennessee could tour the Onsan Smelter in person, deepen their understanding of the smelting industry and on-site operations, and discuss additional ways to ensure the smooth progress of Project Crucible.

On this day, Lieutenant Governor McWhorter met with Kim Seunghyun, Head of the Onsan Smelter (Vice President), and other Korea Zinc officials, where he was briefed on the technical capabilities, environmental standards, safety, and operational direction of the Onsan Smelter. He also shared the vision for the construction of the integrated smelter in the United States.

Regarding the significance of Project Crucible, Lieutenant Governor McWhorter said, "We anticipate that it will have a positive impact on the local economy by creating jobs. Furthermore, we expect this to become an important milestone for strengthening the partnership between South Korea and the United States, as well as bolstering the critical minerals supply chain and enhancing economic security."

During the meeting, discussions covered the necessary administrative procedures, project timeline, and operational methods required for the smooth implementation of Project Crucible. Lieutenant Governor McWhorter pledged full administrative support to ensure the project's successful progress in the future.

Afterwards, Lieutenant Governor McWhorter and Tennessee officials toured the manufacturing processes for base metals such as zinc and key minerals including indium, highly praising Korea Zinc’s technological prowess. At the planned site for the new germanium plant within the Onsan Smelter, they expressed high expectations, noting that this would enable even broader cooperation between the United States and Korea in a variety of fields.

Lieutenant Governor McWhorter remarked, "Through continuous meetings with Chairman Choi Yoonbum and the management team, I have realized that Korea Zinc’s strength lies in its excellent communication skills. This visit has broadened my understanding of the smelting industry and heightened my expectations for Project Crucible."

He added, "The state government will seek ways to actively support Project Crucible, including securing electricity and facilitating administrative procedures. I sincerely hope that, just like the Onsan Smelter, another world-class facility can be established successfully in the United States."

Kim, Head of the Onsan Smelter, commented, "The integrated smelter in the United States will be built as a smart smelter applying the technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation systems of the Onsan Smelter. We expect that, in turn, these technologies will be reapplied to the Onsan Smelter, generating synergistic effects."

Project Crucible is a project to build an integrated smelter in Clarksville, Tennessee, with a total investment of 7.4 billion dollars (approximately 11 trillion won), capable of processing about 1.1 million tons of raw materials annually. Site preparation construction is set to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2029. Upon completion, the facility will produce 13 types of non-ferrous metals and semiconductor sulfuric acid, including 11 key minerals such as zinc, lead, germanium, and gallium.

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