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Acid Plant Database October 13, 2024
Owner | Korea Zinc Company Limited | |
Location |
Onsan South Korea |
|
Background | A subsidiary of Young Poong, Corporation | |
Website | www.koreazinc.co.kr | |
Plant | - | |
Coordinates* | 35° 25' 46" N, 129° 20' 43" E | |
Type of Plant | Metallurgical | |
Gas Source | Zinc Roaster | |
Plant Capacity | 1,000,000 MTPA | |
SA/DA | - | |
Status | - | |
Year Built | - | |
Technology | - | |
Contractor | - | |
Remarks |
Products: 98% H2SO4 25% Oleum Liquid SO3 Ultrapure Sulphuric Acid: 280,000 tons per year |
|
Pictures | ||
General | Onsan
Refinery operates the refining facilities for both zinc and lead. The
refinery adopts the zinc residue-processing technology that maximizes the
recovery of valuable metals from zinc residue and changes the slag
environmentally sustainable. Also constructing zinc refinery and lead
refinery together in one plant has generated the synergy effects such as
higher recovery ratio of valuable metals, use of various-types of raw
materials, and lower waste discharge. Onsan Refinery, characterized as 'Custom Smelter', is able to process various kinds of zinc ores, successfully commercializing innovative technologies such as Direct Leaching Process, QSL process, and TSL process. Direct Leaching Process is a refining technology that directly dissolves the zinc from zinc concentrates in a special leaching process and thereby eliminating the need for traditional roasting and sulfuric acid plants. Presently, Korea Zinc is the only company that uses this process commercially in the world. QSL process is a process that produces lead bullion through oxidization and deoxidization by dissolving lead concentrate. It is zinc-refining technology that helps save energy and prevent pollution by using only one furnace instead of two. It is an excellent process in that it can process a variety of materials, and uses coal as a power of source, which is rather cheap. Zinc fuming is a process that recovers valuable metals like zinc, lead, and copper from zinc residue. This process contributes to minimizing environmental contamination by making clean slag, which has much less toxic materials than iron residue and is recycled as construction materials and/or raw material for cement. In addition, this process makes it possible to dispose the residue at the company's discretion; thus, not only it solves the lack of enough lot for pond, which is required for storage of the residue, but it also produces a lot of steam by recovering wasted heat in the process of production. The Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology has been designed to solve the disposal problem of residues generated during the refining process, the problem that almost every refinery in the world has in common. This technology recovers valuable metals from by-products generated at the nonferrous metals refining process and turns the residue into environmentally stable insoluble slag by inserting combustible materials like coal and oxygen and causing turbulence, using Lance, which is installed in the upper parts of Smelting Furnace and Fuming Furnace. In a nutshell, this technology has a great advantage in that it processes environmentally instable matters into environmentally stable wastes and recycles them. These efforts for environment paid off as the company was awarded Environmental New Technology by the Ministry of Environment in September 2002. As mentioned above, Korea Zinc takes advantage of the world best technologies to recover the most valuable metals, discharges the least wastes and uses various materials including the recycled ones. All in all, Korea Zinc becomes and will maintain its presence as the world most competitive refinery. |
|
References | - | |
News |
October 7, 2024 - The hostile takeover bid led by MBK Partners and
Young Poong is raising concerns about the potential threats it poses to the
global semiconductor supply chain. Korea Zinc, a leading supplier of
semiconductor sulfuric acid, plays a crucial role in providing the key
material to semiconductor giants such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
A successful takeover could not only jeopardize the timely delivery of
high-quality sulfuric acid, but it could also undermine efforts to build a
secure, China-free semiconductor supply chain. The semiconductor
sulfuric acid market in South Korea currently stands at approximately
380,000 tons per year, with Korea Zinc supplying 240,000 tons and LS MnM
Inc. providing 140,000 tons. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which
together account for over 98% of the total consumption, rely on this
essential material for cleaning semiconductor wafers—a critical process that
directly impacts production yield and quality. Due to the stringent
quality and timely delivery requirements, importing semiconductor sulfuric
acid is limited, and Korea Zinc and LS MnM remain the only domestic
producers. Korea Zinc’s current production capacity is 280,000 tons per year
and additional expansions currently underway are expected to increase this
capacity to 320,000 tons upon completion in 2026. Semiconductor sulfuric
acid is one of the key strategic materials for Korea Zinc's current
management, with long-term plans to exceed production by 500,000 tons
annually. The sulfuric acid used in semiconductor processing must be
extremely pure, requiring specialized expertise and rigorous process
controls. Samsung and SK Hynix regularly conduct detailed audits of their
suppliers’ production processes and impose strict standards before approving
the material for their manufacturing lines. Any disruption in the
supply or quality of this critical material could halt production at major
semiconductor factories, including Samsung’s facilities in Pyeongtaek,
Hwaseong, and Giheung, as well as SK Hynix’s plants in Icheon, Cheongju, and
Wuxi. Continuous communication between Korea Zinc and its customers is
essential for ensuring supply chain stability and addressing any technical
issues that may arise. The ongoing management dispute between Korea
Zinc and MBK Partners is being closely monitored by Samsung and SK Hynix,
both of whom recognize the vital role of Korea Zinc’s products. Industry
experts are concerned that a private equity takeover, driven by short-term
financial objectives, might jeopardize the long-term investments necessary
to maintain and expand Korea Zinc’s production capacity. This concern
is particularly acute as South Korea undergoes significant semiconductor fab
expansions. SK Hynix is investing KRW 122 trillion in new fabs in Yongin's
Wonsam-myeon, set for completion by 2027, while Samsung has committed KRW
360 trillion to a new fab in Namsa-myeon in Yongin city, with construction
slated to begin in 2031. Once these projects are completed, the domestic
demand for semiconductor sulfuric acid is expected to exceed 1 million tons
annually. Given the technical expertise required to produce
semiconductor sulfuric acid, a high-precision foundational material, only a
few specialized plants, like those operated by Korea Zinc which has secured
advanced contamination control technologies, can meet the strict quality
standards. Imported alternatives pose significant risks related to quality
control and supply reliability, underscoring the importance of Korea Zinc’s
production capabilities. The global semiconductor supply chain could
also face broader repercussions. Industry sources have expressed concerns
that if Korea Zinc were acquired by Chinese companies, they could prioritize
supplying Chinese semiconductor manufacturers, potentially disrupting the
flow of this essential material to Korean companies and affecting the U.S.,
a key competitor to China in the global AI race. As semiconductors
remain South Korea’s largest export, Korea Zinc’s advanced technology,
commitment to quality, and sustained investment in production capacity are
essential for maintaining a stable and secure supply chain for this critical
material. June 28, 2016 - About a thousand liters of sulfuric acid leaked from the construction site of a smelter factory in the country's industrial city of Ulsan Tuesday, injuring six workers, firefighters said. The incident took place at around 9:15 a.m. at a factory owned by Korea Zinc Inc., the country's largest zinc smelter, some 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The chemical at some 70 percent concentration leaked as six workers were disassembling pipes for maintenance. All six are suffering from burns, with three of them in critical condition, authorities said. Firefighters said they are investigating whether there is any secondary damage from the accident. Earlier in the day, about a ton of waste chemicals comprised of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid and water spilled out of a tank due to chemical reactions in Gumi, 261 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The firefighters completed cleanup of the spilled chemicals at around 5:30 a.m., about three hours after the incident was first reported. They said no harmful chemical substances were detected near the site of the accident.
April 20,
2009 - GEA Bischoff received an order for 1 horizontal dry
electrostatic precipitator from Korea Zinc Co. Ltd. The off-gases from a new
lead smelter in Onsan, South Korea will be cleaned.
With this contract Korea Zinc Co. Ltd. continuous the longtime cooperation
with GEA Bischoff, who since the year 1993 supplied 11 dry and 20 wet
precipitators as well as various other gas cleaning equipment to this
client.
November 26, 2008 - Ausmelt Limited (AET) has signed a Licensing Agreement with Korea Zinc Co. Ltd (Korea Zinc) for the construction of two new Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology furnaces for lead smelting. The two new furnaces will be built at Korea Zinc.s production facilities in Onsan, Korea. They will recover lead from up to 70,000 tonnes per annum of lead-bearing materials, including lead secondaries. |
MTPD - Metric Tonne per Day
STPD - Short Ton per Day
MTPA - Metric Tonne per Annum STPA - Short Ton per
Annum
SA - Single Absorption
DA - Double Absorption
* Coordinates can be used to
locate plant on Google Earth