Korea Zinc said Monday it posted record revenue and operating profit last year, buoyed by a sharp spike in global gold and silver prices as well as rising demand for its metals from the semiconductor, artificial intelligence and defense sectors.
The world’s largest nonferrous metal smelter said its 2025 revenue rose 37.6 percent on-year to 16.58 trillion won ($11.38 billion), while operating profit surged 70.3 percent to 1.23 trillion won, both the highest in its history.
The company said it has now been profitable for 44 consecutive years.
In the fourth quarter alone, Korea Zinc’s revenue came to 4.76 trillion won, up 39.6 percent on-year, and 429.3 billion won, up 257 percent. Operating margins rose to 9 percent, doubling from 3.5 percent a year earlier.
Korea Zinc credited the robust results to higher recovery rates for critical minerals and precious metals, including antimony, silver and gold.
Since gold and silver are extracted during the company’s smelting process, production costs are relatively low, enabling profit margins to expand.
The company said its key minerals, including antimony, indium and bismuth, are all vital to semiconductor, AI and defense sectors. But because small countries dominate supply chains for these metals, Korea Zinc said it is cooperating with the US and other countries and investing to strengthen supply stability.
It is currently ramping up production of strategic minerals such as germanium and gallium at its Onsan smelter and building a large-scale smelting facility in the US, with an investment of about $7.4 billion. The facility is expected to produce 13 nonferrous metals, including 11 critical minerals.
It’s US-based recycling unit PedalPoint also posted its first annual profit last year, driven by rising demand for recycled metals.
sahn@heraldcorp.com
