Korea Zinc said on the 13th that it took part in InterBattery 2026, the country's largest battery-focused exhibition, and showcased each business of its "Troika Drive," including secondary battery materials.
Korea Zinc's Troika Drive is Chairman Choi Yun-beom's strategy to strengthen competitiveness in new businesses after taking office at the end of 2022. The company's three major new businesses are renewable energy, resource circulation, and secondary battery materials.
At InterBattery 2026, which began on the 11th, Korea Zinc presented its technology for producing strategic minerals—essential materials for advanced and defense industries—as well as secondary battery materials.
A diorama installed at the center of the booth was arranged to give a clear view of materials used to produce nickel sulfate, precursors, and copper foil. On both sides of the diorama, actual products and models were also displayed.
Korea Zinc also introduced the "all-in-one nickel smelter" it is building through its subsidiary KEMCO. When completed, the smelter will establish an integrated process system for four nonferrous metals by adding nickel to zinc, lead, and copper.
Based on this, Korea Zinc plans to build a secondary battery value chain. Nickel sulfate produced by KEMCO will be used as feedstock by Korea Precursor (KPC), and the precursors produced by KPC will be used as materials for cathodes.
Korea Zinc also introduced other institutional sectors of the Troika Drive that are continuing to grow. These are Ark Energy, its Australian subsidiary that anchors its renewable energy and green hydrogen business, and Pedalpoint, its U.S. subsidiary that anchors its resource-circulation business.
Ark Energy recently signed a long-term energy services agreement for the Bowmans Creek battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Australia. Earlier, Ark Energy also received approval from the Australian government for the Richmond Valley BESS project.
Pedalpoint posted a profit last year, marking its first annual profit since its establishment in 2022. Pedalpoint collects and processes electronic waste across North America and supplies it to the Onsan Smelter.
Korea Zinc said Chairman Choi Yun-beom's leadership has been pivotal to this business growth. Since Choi took office, the company has consistently pushed technology development to improve recovery rates with a goal of long-term structural transition rather than short-term revenue.
Korea Zinc believes that as these new businesses based on the Troika Drive delivered results, it also gained an opportunity last year to pursue the Crucible Project, a U.S. integrated nonferrous metal smelter construction project.
Project Crucible is a plan Korea Zinc released to invest 11 trillion won together with the U.S. government and others to build an integrated smelter in Tennessee and produce 13 kinds of nonferrous metals, including 11 key minerals such as zinc, copper, silver, and antimony.
A Korea Zinc official said, "Through the InterBattery exhibition, we were able to show our secondary battery business, which is moving beyond the conceptual stage into implementation," adding, "We will actively push our core smelting business, the Troika Drive, and the U.S. integrated smelter project to create maximum synergy."