All you Wanted To Know About Zinc.
Mining
1 Zinc ores are dug from underground mines using conventional blasting, drilling, and hauling techniques. The ores occur as zinc sulfide (also called sphalerite), zinc carbonate (smithsonite), zinc silicate (calimine), and in compounds of manganese and iron (franklinite). Zinc ore is sometimes mined in conjunction with silver or lead ores. In addition to the ore itself, oil and sulfuric acid are required for the breakdown of the ores; and electricity, coke, or natural gas are needed to provide the heat energy for smelting.
Froth flotation
2 Zinc can be produced by a process called froth flotation, which is also used for reduction of copper and lead ores. This process involves grinding the zinc ore to a fine powder, mixing it with water, pine oil, and flotation chemicals, and then agitating the mixture to "float" the zinc to the surface. A variety of chemicals are used to coat the important zinc particles and prevent them from becoming wetted by the water. Then air is injected, and the coated minerals attach themselves to the bubbles. The operation is performed inside a vat and agitated with an impeller. The rotating impeller draws the air down the standpipe that surrounds the impeller shaft and dissipates it throughout the mixture or "pulp." The zinc rises to the top and the residue stays in the bottom of the pulp, since it cannot adhere to the bubbles. Automatic scrapers remove the mineral-laden froth containing the zinc.
Filtering
3 The froth is filtered to remove the water and liquid oils. The paste-like remainder is mixed with lime and sent to a furnace. The furnace roasts the mixture at 2500°F (1371°C), which fuses the minerals into solid chunks called sinter. At this point, the material has been completely converted to zinc oxide.
Smelting
4 The next reduction process uses a blast furnace to melt the prepared ore into its elemental components. The blast furnace is fueled by electricity, coke, or natural gas, which generate temperatures of up to 2200°F (1204°C). This, however, also generates carbon dioxide, which recombines with the zinc as it cools to re-form zinc oxide. To reduce this reformation, the zinc is sprayed with molten lead while it is still hot. The lead, at 1022°F (550°C), dissolves the zinc and carries it to another chamber, where it is cooled to 824°F (440°C). At this temperature, the lighter zinc separates out of the lead and is drained off the top. The lead is reheated and returned to the blast furnace.
Refining
5 Further metal improvement can be made by keeping the zinc molten and undisturbed for several hours. In this state, iron and other contaminants settle to the bottom, allowing the almost pure zinc to be carefully drawn off the top and cast into ingots.
Alloying
6 Most zinc is alloyed with other metals before use to improve its properties. Alloying involves remelting and mixing the zinc with other metals in precise proportions. For example, approximately 4% aluminum is added to improve casting quality and die life in the die-casting process. Other added alloys are small amounts of titanium, copper, and magnesium. After alloying, the molten metal is poured into sow molds and ingot molds. Sows can weigh several thousand pounds, while ingots weigh about 45 pounds (20 kg).
John
They like Tin and Lead too.