The company said Monday the project was designated for FAST-41, a program under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act that coordinates federal reviews to shorten permitting timelines.
FAST-41 is designed to streamline approvals for projects considered strategically important by consolidating oversight across agencies. The U.S. Department of the Interior signed a memorandum of understanding in February with the Tennessee state government and others to simplify permitting procedures, and Korea Zinc described the FAST-41 designation as a follow-up step.
Under FAST-41, the federal government coordinates and manages permitting schedules to reduce timing and cost risks. The U.S. Permitting Council says FAST-41 projects, on average, receive a final record of decision 18 months faster than non-designated projects. Korea Zinc said the federal-state MOU would allow related procedures to move forward in parallel, accelerating progress.
Korea Zinc said the designation is significant because Project Crucible has been viewed as part of the U.S. national security strategy. The company said the only other FAST-41 projects tied to critical minerals are South32’s Hermosa zinc and manganese development in Arizona and Resolution Minerals’ Antimony Ridge exploration and development project in Alaska.
Korea Zinc said Project Crucible is the first FAST-41 project led by a South Korean company and expects it to strengthen U.S.-South Korea economic security cooperation over the medium to long term through a critical minerals supply chain.
Chairman Choi Yun-beom said, “The FAST-41 designation for Project Crucible will be an important milestone in building a safe and resilient critical minerals supply chain,” adding that the company will continue close consultations with the U.S. federal government, Tennessee and other stakeholders to ensure the project’s success.
He said the company will carry out the project’s roadmap “without disruption,” calling for groundbreaking in 2027 and completion in 2029, and said it aims to build a world-class critical minerals processing facility.
Project Crucible calls for a total investment of $7.4 billion (about 11 trillion won) through 2029 to build an integrated smelter capable of processing about 1.1 million tons of feedstock annually. Once completed, the facility is expected to produce semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid and 13 nonferrous products, including 11 types of critical minerals such as zinc and lead, as well as rare metals including germanium and gallium.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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