Zinc

About Zinc

Zinc (Zn), chemical element, a low-melting metal of Group 12 (IIb, or zinc group) of the periodic table, that is essential to life and is one of the most widely used metals.

A little more abundant than copper, zinc makes up an average of 65 grams (2.3 ounces) of every ton of Earth’s crust.

The chief zinc mineral is the sulfide sphalerite (zinc blende), which, together with its oxidation products smithsonite and hemimorphite, constitute nearly all of the world’s zinc ore.

Zinc is an essential trace element in the human body, where it is found in high concentration in the red blood cells as an essential part of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which promotes many reactions relating to carbon dioxide metabolism.

The zinc present in the pancreas may aid in the storage of insulin.

Zinc Uses

Most zinc is used to galvanize other materials, such as Iron to prevent rusting ( galvanized steel is used for car bodies, street lamp posts, safety barriers and suspension bridges.

Large quantities of zinc are used to produce die-castings, which are important in the automobile, electrical and hardware industries.

Zinc is also used in alloys such as brass, nickel silver and aluminum solder.

Zinc oxides are widely used in the manufacture of many products such as paints, rubber, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, inks, soaps, batteries, textiles and electrical equipment.

Zinc sulfide is used in making luminous paints, fluorescent light, and x-ray screens.