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Project Crucible (Clarksville smelter)Korea Zinc—Korea Zinc to build a $7.4B critical-minerals smelter in Tennessee with $1.4B from the US Department of WarProject Crucible (Clarksville smelter)Korea Zinc—Korea Zinc formally launches Project Crucible in Clarksville; groundbreaking set for 2027Project Crucible (Clarksville smelter)Korea Zinc—US Department of War finds no significant environmental impact for Korea Zinc's Tennessee smelter

Project Crucible (Clarksville smelter)

by Korea ZincKR

Give the US its first new zinc smelter since the 1970s and a domestic source of critical by-product metals that today come mostly from China.

ProtoStage 2 of 5

Site work under way; environmental review cleared Sep 2026; main construction from 2027.

Updated Sep 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Site preparation and engineering
  1. Deal with US Departments of War and Commerce announced15 Dec 2025Complete.
  2. Project officially launched in Clarksville1 Apr 2026Complete.
  3. First project designated under FAST-41 permittingApr 2026Complete.
  4. Final environmental assessment: no significant impactSep 2026Complete.
  5. Site preparation and engineeringTarget 2026Current milestone.
  6. Main construction begins (about 33 months)Target 2027Not yet reached.
  7. Phased commercial operations beginTarget 2029Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

  1. 2026Site preparation and engineering (next)
  2. 2027Main construction begins (about 33 months)
  3. 2029Phased commercial operations begin
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