Korea Zinc announced on Monday a $7.4 billion smelter project in Tennessee that will be backed by the U.S. government and which will lessen our reliance on China for critical minerals used in defense systems, electronics, and so much more that powers our modern world.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick took to X to laud the news:

Statement from Secretary Lutnick:

Big win for America. ⬇️

President Trump just secured a transformational critical minerals deal that strengthens our national security, rebuilds our industrial base, and ends our dependence on foreign supply chains.

Today, we announced a major…

— U.S. Commerce Dept. (@CommerceGov) December 15, 2025

The tweet continues:

Today, we announced a major investment with Korea Zinc to build a state-of-the-art critical minerals smelter and processing facility in Tennessee that will produce 540,000 tons per year of essential materials right here in America.

He continued, listing a range of exotic (to me, anyway) minerals like gallium, germanium, and antimony that are used in “defense systems, semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, autos, data centers, and advanced manufacturing.”

It’s another win for President Trump, the secretary wrote:

This is exactly how we win: build here, secure our supply chains, create great jobs, and keep America the world’s industrial and technological leader. Congratulations to President Trump on delivering another massive win for the United States!

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Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) called it a victory for his state and a “geostrategic” win for the country:

Korea Zinc’s decision to build a world-class critical minerals refinery in our state is not just an economic victory – it is a geostrategic one that directly supports President Trump’s efforts to restore American economic security in partnership with trusted allies, like South…

— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) December 15, 2025

This project will expand the United States’ capacity to produce the minerals that power our advanced industries and defense capabilities, strengthening national security while delivering high-paying jobs for hundreds of Tennessee families.

The South Korea-based Korea Zinc, the world’s largest zinc smelting company, surged in trading Monday with its stock at one point shooting up over 26 percent. The new venture will be controlled by the United States and unnamed strategic investors. The plan is for Korea Zinc to purchase Nyrstar Zinc in Clarksville and build new facilities, including the company’s U.S. headquarters and a $6.6 billion smelter that is expected to produce 420 jobs in Montgomery County.

President Trump has focused on critical minerals in his second term for a very simple reason: we are way too reliant on the Chinese Communist Party for them. If our relations go south and they cut off our supply, we’re in a world of hurt, as production from everything from cars to fighter jets will be at risk. In fact, China has already flexed its muscles, slapping on export controls in October of 2024 and adding more restrictions on rare minerals in early November of this year in retaliation for the U.S.’s semiconductor export restrictions. They have since rolled back many of those constraints after negotiations with the Trump administration, but they gave us a preview of what they could do if relations really sour.

Trump is smart to focus on reducing our reliance on other countries in both the energy and minerals arenas. Let’s have both Made in America.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and bold policies, America’s economy is back on track.

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