100% Nyrstar
Zinc Smelting and Alloying Operation
The Clarksville smelter is located in Tennessee beside the Cumberland River, and is a relatively modern plant, commissioned in 1978. It is a medium-scale smelter, with a capacity of approximately 125,000 tonnes of zinc per year, and is currently the only primary zinc producer in the United States. The site’s main products are SHG zinc and galvanizing alloys, supplied primarily to customers within one day’s delivery distance from the plant.
Historically, the Clarksville smelter was reliant on the nearby Tennessee Valley mines for a majority of its feed. When these mines closed in recent years, Clarksville sourced the majority of its concentrates from mines in Central and South America, Ireland and Australia. However, with the re-opening of the Tennessee Valley mines in 2007 and 2008, it is likely Clarksville will source an increasing proportion of its concentrates from local mines.
