Updated, Aug. 15, 2023, with corrected/updated numbers.
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Nyrstar is planning to expand operations at its Clarksville zinc plant with the addition of a new gallium and germanium processing facility, one which will make Clarksville the nation’s top provider of those materials.
The proposed $150 million facility has received support from the Tennessee General Assembly, and there’s a resolution before the Montgomery County Commission is support of the facility.
According to the county’s resolution, germanium and gallium are used in the production of 5G mobile devices, solar panels, electric vehicles, wind turbines and more. The federal government classifies gallium and germanium as critical materials.
The resolution says that the proposed Nyrstar facility would process residue from the zinc plant’s existing production ponds. It’s estimated that the Nyrstar could produce an estimated 30 tons of germanium and 40 tons of gallium in Tennessee, and the new Clarksville facility could provide for 80 percent of the U.S.’s germanium and gallium needs.
The facility would create 25 to 30 new jobs during the construction phase and 20 full-time positions once operational, according to the county resolution.
Nyrstar spokesperson Gytha Steenvoorden told Clarksville Now that the company is excited to begin work on the facility, but that there are regulatory steps that must first be completed’
“Nyrstar is engaging with state and federal government to secure support for the project, which would enable germanium and gallium to be produced domestically for the first time, helping to secure the US supply chain for these critical minerals for the defense, electronics and energy sectors,” Steenvoorden said. “Nyrstar is looking forward to continuing to increase its contribution to the region with jobs, local procurement and ongoing investments.”
Located adjacent to the Cumberland River at the end of Zinc Plant Road, Nyrstar has been operating in Clarksville for 44 years. It is the only zinc smelter in the United States and is a top producer of zinc and the associated process byproducts. Nyrstar currently employs about 270 people.
