Korea Zinc Targets U.S. Chip Chemical Supply

Korea Zinc attended the Semicon West 2026 exhibition in the U.S., engaging with major semiconductor companies such as Micron, Intel, TSMC, and GlobalFoundries to explore potential collaborations for supplying semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid. This strategic move comes as part of Korea Zinc's aim to penetrate the U.S. semiconductor materials market, which was highlighted during their participation in Semicon West 2026 held from October 13 to 15.

During the event, Korea Zinc met with Micron, a company eyeing semiconductor production facilities in Idaho and New York. Micron expressed a positive outlook on Korea Zinc's plans to establish local production facilities, signaling a potential pathway for cooperation. The companies discussed extending their collaboration to other core materials such as germanium, alongside semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid.

Intel also held talks with Korea Zinc, focusing on the quality of their semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid and the raw material characteristics. Intel stressed the importance of quality verification through future sample tests, indicating a rigorous quality control process ahead of any supply agreement. Intel operates in Arizona and Oregon and is planning to build a new facility in Ohio, further emphasizing the growing demand for high-purity sulfuric acid in the U.S. semiconductor sector.

Korea Zinc representatives noted their successful direct engagement with global semiconductor firms, affirming a robust foundation of cooperation for future U.S. market entry. The company's ability to supply semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid of ultra-high purity (99.9999% or higher) is highlighted as a key asset, as this material plays a crucial role in the semiconductor manufacturing process, particularly in wafer cleaning.

By refining sulfur dioxide from zinc and lead smelting operations, Korea Zinc has established itself as a reliable supplier of this critical component in the evolving landscape of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.