CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.—An obscure zinc smelter in Tennessee is sitting on two minerals vital to producing chips for smartphones and radar systems, landing it in the middle of a global trade war. The plant’s Dutch owner and local officials are looking to fund an expansion so the smelter can process the sought-after materials, germanium and gallium, which are supplied to the rest of the world primarily by China.

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Locations: CLARKSVILLE, Tenn, Tennessee, China