A German company said it intends to invest $340 million and create 125 jobs by building a recycling and smelting facility in Augusta.
Aurubis, a recycler of copper and other metals, plans to produce materials at the plant that will be used in electronic products including lithium-ion batteries.
It represents the first multi-metal recycling operation of its kind in the United States and the largest single investment by a German company in Georgia, according to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office.
Constrained supplies of crucial metals needed for batteries in electric cars and a host of other products have raised worries in industry and government.
Georgia has gained a foothold in the electric vehicle industry with the development of a $2.6-billion battery-making plant by SK Innovation in Jackson County. Other international makers of electric vehicle parts have set up operations in the state as well. Earlier this year, Kemp announced a statewide initiative to tackle supply chain issues in the electric vehicle industry.
The facility will be built on 150 acres at Augusta Corporate Park, with operations expected to launch by the first half of 2024, but hiring beginning as soon as next summer. It will recycle metals from circuit boards, copper cable and other materials.
“Aurubis’ commitment to sustainable development and to raw material security will play a role in building Georgia’s electric mobility value chain,” Kemp’s office said in a press release.
