Thursday, September 10, 2009

What is Zinc ?

Zinc is a metallic chemical element with symbol Zn and atomic number 30. This is the first row of the transition metals of group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is approximately 75 ppm (0.007%) of the crust, so the 24 most abundant element there. The seawater is only 30 ppb zinc, and the atmosphere contains 0.1 to 4 ng/m3.


The main application of zinc corrosion resistant galvanized steel. Other applications of the batteries and alloys such as brass. Sphalerite, zinc is the most important zinc ore. Including the production of zinc roasting, leaching, and in the finals to win pyrometallurgic winning or electriowinning.

Sphalerite (ZNS), usually in combination with other metals such as copper and lead ores. Therefore, the phase in the zinc sulfide minerals. Sphalerite, which is a form of zinc is the most heavily mined ore containing zinc, 60-62% as zinc.

A variety of zinc compounds to find industrial applications, such as zinc chloride (in deodorants), zinc Pyrithione (Anti-dandruff shampoos), zinc (in luminescent paints), zinc and organic methyl or zinc diethyl in the laboratory. Approximately one quarter of the production of zinc in the form of zinc compounds.

Zinc, in the context, the plaintext is a blue-white shiny metal diamagnetic, although most commercial varieties of metal with a metal mat finish.The hard and brittle, but the temperatures in most malleable will be 100 to 150 ° C. Zinc is a good conductor of electricity. The melting point is the lowest of all transition metals, except mercury and cadmium.

Many zinc alloys, including brass, an alloy of zinc and copper. Other metals, such as the binary zinc alloys, aluminum, antimony, bismuth, gold, iron, lead, mercury, silver, tin, magnesium, cobalt, nickel, sodium and tellurium.

Other minerals, zinc, due to smithsonite (zinc carbonate), hemimorphite (zinc silicate), Wurtzite (excluding zinc) and sometimes hydrozincite (basic zinc carbonate).

Zinc is an essential mineral necessary for the preservation of all life. Enzymes in a zinc atom in the center of the reaction in biochemistry, such as alcohol in humans. The consumption of higher concentrations of zinc can lead to ataxia, lethargy and a lack of copper.

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