AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- It’s been almost a year since Aurubis Richmond was built here in Augusta, and today they will host it’s “First Melt” celebration.
Up to now, the plant has been testing the process to make sure it works and today they will see the first melt of strategic minerals or the start of operations.
Aurubis’s goal is to strengthen American supply chains, keeping them from having to import strategic metals.
So they are now ready to harvest and deploy strategically critical metals that include copper, nickel, tin and zinc for the U.S. market.
These materials will help with the future of AI, defense industry, and advanced manufacturing here in this country.
U.S. Representative Rick Allen will attend and will give his remarks along with the company’s CEO and President.
Aurubis’s President explains why this is important.
“There is a supply gap currently in the United States of over a million tons that need to be imported every single year. And our facility will make a major contribution to support closing that gap going forward,” said David Schultheis.
This company is one of three metal melting plants in the United States, hiring over 200 employees.
The celebration will take place later this morning.
