ABSTRACT
Zinc occurs in widespread deposits of zinc blende, ZnS, associated with iron and lead in sulfide ores, notably sphalerite. This chapter provides information on blast furnace reduction and electrolytic extraction. A modified blast furnace process can be used to smelt mixed lead zinc ores, in which the reduced lead separates as a liquid in the hearth. The characteristics and properties of zinc commend it for use as sacrificial anodes to protect steel structures in cathodic protection schemes. Zinc alloys are well-suited for mass-produced pressure die castings by virtue of their low temperature melting ranges together with reasonable mechanical properties and clean passive surfaces that provide suitable substrates for decorative nickel/chromium plating. The metal cadmium is in the same group of the Periodic Table as zinc and is used as a thin applied layer in corrosion control to address the compatibility of mixed metal systems, particularly of aluminium with high strength steels in the aviation industry.
