Mississippi Silicon, Burnsville, a subsidiary of Rima Holdings USA, has broken ground for a $200 million state-of-the-art silicon metals plant in Burnsville. It will produce silicon metal for a broad range of industries, including the aluminum, automotive, and chemical industries. It is said to be the first greenfield silicon manufacturer to be built in the western hemisphere in more than four decades. The only other facilities have been built in Asia, primarily China.
The project was made possible primarily by Rima Holdings USA, which is a subsidiary of Brazil-based conglomerate Rima Industrial S/A. Rima is the majority owner of the Mississippi Silicon venture, with an 80% stake in the business.
Rima is the only primary magnesium producer in the Southern Hemisphere and the only one in the world producing automotive parts directly from the mineral ore (dolomite). Rima utilizes in-house recycling and an innovative molten magnesium transportation technology along with a vertically integrated process with the aim of conserving energy and reducing costs.
Rima also owns and operates the second-largest magnesium diecasting facility in the world, which produces excellent quality and very competitive parts for various markets.
According to the Mississippi Development Authority, the state is providing a total of $21.15 million for building construction and workforce training, as well as a $3.5 million loan to Tishomingo County for infrastructure needs.
http://www.mississippi.org/press-room/ms-silicon-12-31-2013.html
