About zinc in short
The zinc, as all the metals ensues from natural source. Its name came from the Latin word „zincum”.
The zinc belongs to the group of haevy metals.
A lot of archeological evidence and document confirm, that the zinc and among of its alloys the brass was already used with more hundreds years before our era. There was produced from zinc alloys not only common articles, but the physiological effect of its certain salts might be known and used for therapy. In India and China the zinc was discovered as element already in the 12th century. On the commercial routes reached zinc the mediaevial Europa, where the zinc itself was produced at the end of the 13th century only. Some records of alchemists also mention the zinc. The industrial use of zinc started about for 200 years.
The zinc cannot be found in the nature as an element, in minerals composes alloys, mostly with copper, lead and silver.
The most characteristic zinc mineral is the sphalerite (ZnS), which mostly compose a common ore with other minerals. The proccessing is similar to the other non-ferrous metal’s one: enrichment, producing row metal, fining. The producing of the row metal happens mostly with hydrometallurgic method, but pyrometallurgical process is also applied.
The zinc is applied widely in many branch of industry . Zinc is most commonly used as an anti-corrosion agent for steel, which has importance first of all for the automobile- and building industry. From the alloys of zinc will be produced castings, which are applied also widely. Zinc is used for the anode- and wire production, but is an additive at the painting, as well as at the rubber and the plastic production. The zinc is an important compound for aluminium, copper as well as for the brass. The products made from zinc are used as components for longlife articles.
Dunametál produces castings from zinc alloys.
The proportion of the zinc’s recycling is 80-95%. The brass waste is the biggest recycling source of the zinc.
