Befesa Zinc US Inc. — Rockwood
Large load · 199 Truck Route, Rockwood, TN
Befesa Zinc US Inc. runs a plant at 199 Truck Route in Rockwood, Roane County, Tennessee, that produces crude zinc oxide from electric arc furnace dust received in railcars. Rockwood Electric Utility, which buys all of its power from TVA, serves the area.
Overview
Befesa Zinc US Inc. produces crude zinc oxide from electric arc furnace dust received in railcars, and the product is shipped to another location for further refinement. The plant recycles arc furnace dust with high temperature metal recovery technology to make metal bearing products including Waelz oxide and iron rich material. EPA reported two Waelz kilns and no electrothermic furnaces for 2023.
Profile
- Electricity and grid
- Rockwood Electric Utility is a municipally owned utility providing electric service to industrial facilities, and all of its power is purchased from TVA. It operates four substations and takes all delivery from TVA at 161-kV. A 2023 board agenda proposed discontinuing the interruptible gas transport agreement with Horsehead Corporation, which concerns natural gas rather than electricity.
- Ownership
- A minor modification to the water permit changed the permittee name from American Zinc Recycling Corp. to Befesa Zinc US Inc. The permittee is Befesa Zinc US Inc.
- Permits
- State Operating Permit SOP-01039 became effective May 1, 2021 and was set to expire April 30, 2026. A draft of the renewal was issued on December 16, 2025 after an application filed on 30-Oct-25. The water system is a no discharge wastewater system with pond water recycled to the manufacturing plant.
Facility
- Activity
- Crude zinc oxide production from electric arc furnace dust
- Industry
- Industrial
- Site type
- Facility
- Operating status
- Operating
Reported Dec 10, 2025
Related records
Timeline
- Jan 3, 2008
- Horsehead started a second Waelz kiln at Rockwood, Tennessee.
Horsehead Starts Up Second Kiln in Tennessee - Association for Iron & Steel Technology