On August 28th, it was announced that students and staff from Haepyeong Middle School in Gumi visited the Yeongpoong Seokpo Smelter on the previous day. The group, consisting of about 30 visitors, toured the facility to learn about the environmentally-friendly technology used in the production of non-ferrous metals.
Haepyeong Middle School has been designated as a research school for climate crisis response by the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education since last year, operating various programs focused on sustainability and the environment. This visit was part of such a program.
During the visit, the students explored the smelter, which has implemented a groundbreaking “zero-discharge system,” a first for smelters worldwide. They also visited the zinc and non-ferrous metal production sites and learned about the facility’s environmental management systems. Reflecting on the visit, students expressed amazement at witnessing the practical application of technologies like the zero-discharge system, which purifies and reuses all wastewater generated in the manufacturing process. They remarked on the potential for environment and technology to progress together.
Teachers from Haepyeong Middle School praised the visit, noting its value in exposing students to real-world examples of coexistence between industry and the environment. They said it illustrated the direction climate crisis response education should take in building a sustainable future.
The Yeongpoong Seokpo Smelter, established in 1970 as Korea’s first modern zinc smelter, has grown into a leading global non-ferrous metal smelter, ranked fourth in zinc production capacity worldwide. Products from Yeongpoong have been registered with the London Metal Exchange (LME) since 1988 and are recognized for their superior quality in the global market.
Yeongpoong has committed to strengthening its environmental management responsibilities, aiming to create a sustainable smelting operation with significant environmental investments. In 2019, it established an “Environmental Improvement Innovation Plan” and has annually allocated around 100 billion KRW for environmental budgets, with cumulative investments reaching approximately 442.6 billion KRW by last year.
One notable initiative is the introduction of the “zero-discharge system” in 2021, a world first, which reprocesses and reuses all wastewater from the smelting process without discharging it externally, at a cost of 46 billion KRW. This system conserves about 880,000 cubic meters of industrial water annually and contributes to protecting water resources in the Nakdong River. The technology has been patented and is gaining attention as a benchmark model, particularly in the secondary battery and metals industries.
Additionally, to prevent groundwater contamination of the Nakdong River, the smelter has installed containment barriers and groundwater collection facilities along a 3 km perimeter. A triple-block structure has been applied across the plant’s flooring to fundamentally prevent soil contamination. The facility has also adopted advanced environmental equipment such as ozone-injection nitrogen oxide reduction devices, a newly constructed oxygen plant, and a remote monitoring system to improve air quality.