CLARKSVILLE, TN – Nyrstar’s Global Head of Strategic Initiatives, Greg Belland, was a guest speaker on a panel about the critical minerals industry at the Select USA Summit recently held in Washington D.C. The Summit brought together government leaders, business visionaries and investors from more than 75 countries, as well as economic development organizations from every corner of the U.S.
Belland spoke about Nyrstar’s operations as an international producer of critical minerals and metals and highlighted our opportunities to produce approximately 80% of the annual domestic U.S. needs of germanium and gallium. These materials, which have been in the news a lot lately, are dominated by China. Germanium and gallium are essential to the green energy transition, high tech and national security.
Participants who join this annual event, organized by the U.S. government, gain insight into the latest policy and investment trends, make connections, and initiate meaningful business relationships. The Select USA Investment Summit is the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment in the United States, with a focus on the U.S. investment environment, industry trends and creating business opportunities.
Currently, Tennessee is the only place in the U.S. where gallium and germanium can both be extracted and processed at such high levels.
The Clarksville smelter is the only primary zinc producer in the United States. The smelter, which has been in Clarksville for more than 45 years, produces special high grade (SHG) zinc, zinc alloys, sulphuric acid, germanium concentrate, leach products, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, and cadmium metal using roast, leach, and electrolysis (RLE) smelting technology.