A new $800 million metal recycling plant started work in Augusta recently. The site, run by Aurubis AG, is the first U.S. plant that can process multiple metals from scrap. At the Richmond County site, staff marked the start with a "First Melt" event on Sept. 24, 2025. "With Aurubis Richmond, we are the frontrunner in multimetal recycling and processing in the U.S. — a position that we already hold in Europe," said Dr. Toralf Haag, CEO of Aurubis AG, according to Aurubis. "Aurubis Richmond is now a significant employer for Georgia and plays a major role in the American multimetal supply chain.