Sun Metals shines bright with renewable energy transition

Sun Metals shines bright with renewable energy transition

Project Proponent

Project Proponent

Sun Metals is an Australian subsidiary of Korea Zinc Company, the largest zinc, lead and silver producer in the world. The Sun Metals refinery was build in 1996, located 15km south of Townsville City.

Sun Metals mission is to be the best zinc refinery in the world by being firstly the safest, the most environmentally responsible and the most competitive. 

Strategic Location

Strategically situated in Townsville, the Sun Metals refinery enjoys a strategic advantage due to its proximity to the North West Mineral Province. This region is home to some of the world's largest zinc deposits, providing the refinery with a reliable and abundant supply of raw materials. The refinery's location near the Port of Townsville also grants it the ability to efficiently import unrefined zinc from sources as far away as Alaska and South America, while also facilitating the global export of its high-grade zinc products.

Plans to Produce Green Zinc

The refinery is the second largest consumer of electricity in Queensland, and with their commitment on being environmentally responsible they aim to become the first refinery in the world to produce 'green zinc', meaning there zinc will be entirely refined using renewable energy. Sun Metals made the commitment to power its entire operations with 100% renewable energy by 2040, with an interim target of 80% by 2030.

Integral to this vision is the work of Sun Metals' sister company, Ark Energy. Established by Korea Zinc, Ark Energy is driving the decarbonisation of the group's energy supply, starting with the Sun Metals refinery. Ark Energy will support this goal through the development of their 1MW PEM electrolyser, which will produce 155,000 kg of green hydrogen annually to power a fleet of five 140-tonne rated hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks. The onsite hydrogen production and refuelling station will be powered by their 143MW AC solar farm, ensuring that the hydrogen fuel is 100% renewable.

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