Korea Zinc Extinguishes Onsan Fire; Residue Retreatment Unit Confirmed as Main Affected Area

Published: Nov 03, 2026 21:14 (GMT+8)

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South Korean media reported on November 3 that the fire at Korea Zinc’s Onsan smelter had been fully extinguished at 3:06 pm on November 2, with no casualties or leakage of hazardous chemicals. The fire occurred at No. 2 plant, which had already been shut for planned maintenance. The affected unit reprocesses zinc and lead smelting residues to recover valuable metals and is not part of the main zinc production line. The cause and extent of the damage remain under investigation, while no production loss or restart schedule has been disclosed. Korea Zinc produced approximately 600,000 tonnes of zinc in 2025. As no damage to the main production line has been confirmed, the direct impact on zinc metal supply currently appears limited. However, damage to the residue retreatment unit could affect by-product recovery and intermediate-material flows, and any extension of the maintenance period remains a key factor to monitor.

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