Columbus Metallurgical Complex, Montana

This smelter, operated by the Stillwater Mining Company, is likely the only producer of domestic palladium and platinum metal (PGM) in the USA, which is extracted from the only PGM mines in the country, a few miles away. PGM is primarily used to make catalytic converters for cars, located on exhaust pipes to reduce emissions. The plant also is likely the largest recycler of catalytic converters in the US, from which it recovers PGM to use in more catalytic converters.