Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, along with Deputy Governor and Economic Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, announced that Korea Zinc, the world’s leading nonferrous metal manufacturer, will make a historic $6.6 billion investment in new production facilities in Clarksville and Gordonsville, marking the company’s first U.S. locations and the largest single private corporate investment in Tennessee history.

The multi-county project includes establishing the company’s U.S. headquarters and manufacturing operations in Clarksville, creating 420 jobs in Montgomery County, and reopening a former mine in Gordonsville, adding 320 jobs in Smith County over the next five years. This investment, driven by the governor’s recent recruiting trip to Asia, strengthens Tennessee’s ties with South Korea—now the state’s top international partner for capital investment since 2019 with over $7.2 billion committed during Lee’s administration—and supports national security by reducing U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals essential to advanced military technology.

Leaders from both parties, including Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn, Congressman John Rose, local officials, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, praised the project for its economic and geostrategic benefits, emphasizing high-quality jobs, community revitalization, and environmental stewardship. Korea Zinc, a KOSPI-listed company specializing in smelting, refining, precious and strategic metals, battery materials, resource recycling, and renewable energy, expressed commitment to long-term partnership with Tennessee’s skilled workforce and communities.