(Reuters, Mar. 12, 2026)
Korea Zinc Chairman Yun B. Choi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
SEOUL, March 12 – Korea Zinc
(010130.KS), opens new tab is in talks with major U.S. technology firms to recycle data centre waste and extract rare earths, its chairman said, amid a U.S. push to reduce reliance on Chinese minerals.
The firm, one of the world’s largest smelters, also aims to secure battery and solar panel waste containing metals and rare earths needed in fields such as electronics, electric vehicles, energy and defence, Chairman Yun B. Choi said in an interview.
The initiative will give the U.S. another source of rare earths beyond its single mine and main supplier China, which produces about 90% of the world’s rare earths and which has
moved to restrict exports in a
tariff war ignited by the U.S.“The U.S. government has been continuously advocating for recycling critical minerals, because they are aware that a significant amount of such minerals from waste was exported to China via several countries,” Choi said.
“We have been quietly researching technologies to extract rare earths over the past two years,” he said.
Choi declined to disclose any outlay or the technology firms involved but said Korea Zinc has invested in recycling, including buying an electronic waste recycler and scrap metal trader, and partnered
a firm, opens new tab with mineral separation technology.
※ Please refer to the article: Korea Zinc in talks with US tech firms to extract rare earths from data centre waste
