ZINC

1 Introduction:
Symbol : Zn Atomic number : 30 Atomic weight : 65.37amu
oxidation state: +2 Valency : 2 Melting point : 420 0C
Boiling point : 9070C Density= 7.13gm CC-1
Electronic configuration: [Ar]3d10 4s2

Major ore Occurrence in Nepal

1.Zinc blende: ZnS(major) 1. Ganesh himal
2.Calamine:ZnCO3 2. Phulchowki
3. Franklinite: (ZnO.Fe2O3)
4. Willemite: Zn2SiO4
5.Zincite or red Zinc: ZnO
 Extraction of Zinc
2
Zinc is usually extracted from Zinc blende (ZnS) by carbon reduction process. The steps
involved in the process of extraction are are:
1. Crushing and pulverization: Huge lumps of ore are crushed using jaw crushers and are
finely pulverized(powdered) using ball mills.
2. Concentration of ore by froth-floatation process: In this method, the powdered ore
is dipped into a tank containing water and small quantity of pine oil. The mixture is agitated
by using blast of compressed air. Gangue particles were wetted by water and get collected at
the bottom of the tank. The sulphide particles being preferentially wetted by oil come on the
surface in the form of froth. The froth is skimmed off to collect the concentrated ore.

Fig: froth- floatation process

 3.Roasting:
The concentrated ore is heated in a reverberatory furnace in presence of air at a high temperature of
3 about 900°C (to decompose ZnSO4, if formed). On doing so following changes take place.
a. Zinc sulphide present in the ore is oxidized to its oxide
2ZnS + 3O2 900°c 2ZnO + 2SO2
b. If zinc sulphate is formed, it gets decomposed to give zinc oxide on heating above 900°c.
ZnS + 2O2 ZnSO4
2ZnSO4 > 900°c 2ZnO + 2SO2 + O2
c. If ore contains calamine, it is decomposed to zinc oxide.
ZnCO3 ZnO + CO2
d. Impurities like Sulphur, phosphorus, antimony, arsenic etc. are removed as their oxide.
S + O2 SO2
P4 + 5O2 2P2O5
C + O2 CO2
 4. Reduction: ( vertical retort process)
4
It is one of the most important, continuous and commercial technique for the
reduction of zinc. Here, roasted ore of zinc is mixed with the coke in the ratio
of 2:1 forming briquets. It is passed in to the vertical retort through the
charging door. The retort is heated at 1400°C by the producer gas (CO + N2).
Zinc vapors along with the carbon monoxide is led to the condenser by
applying a suction and forcing producer gas from below. Following reaction
takes place during reduction : ZnO + C ⟶ Zn + CO
Molten Zinc is tapped out from the condenser time to time. The crude metal
obtained is called zinc spelter (impurity containing)which is 97.8% pure. The
fresh charge is added continuously from the charging door and residual waste
material are taken out from the bottom by roll discharge mechanism as shorn in
figure below.
5

Ash
Fig: vertical retort process for the extraction of Zinc
6
5.Purification: The spelter zinc contains Fe, Pb, As, Cd as impurities. It is
further purified by fractional distillation and electrolysis process.
a. By fractional distillation: The boiling point of Pb, Fe are higher than that of
zinc while that of cadmium, arsenic are lower than that of zinc. When
distillation is carried out around 1000°C, zinc, Cd, As, etc. distill off leaving
Pb and Fe. The distillate is then heated to 800°c ,where Cd and As distill off
leaving pure zinc. Thus obtained sample of Zn is about 99% pure.
Zn, Fe, Pb, Cd Zn & Cd distil out
Distilled at 1100

Distilled at 800
Zn ,Cd Cd is distils out leaving pure zinc as residue
7 b. Electrolysis Process: Pure zinc is made cathode and impure
zinc block is taken as anode. Zinc sulphate solution, acidified
by sulphuric acid is taken as electrolyte. When electricity is
passed through the electrolytic solution, pure zinc gets
deposited at cathode whereas impurities remain as anode mud.
Following electrolytic reaction occurs here:
At anode:
Zn – 2e- ⟶ Zn++
Pure zinc

At cathode:
Zn++ + 2e- ⟶Zn Impure zinc

Zinc thus obtained is 99.5% pure.

Fig: electrolysis of zinc

8 Varieties of Zinc:
9 Properties of Zinc:
Physical properties:
1. Zinc is blueish white metal and tarnishes to grey color
when exposed to moist air.
2. It is brittle at ordinary temperature but malleable and
ductile between 100 0C to 200 0C.
3. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
4. Its density is 7.13gmcc-1.
 Chemical properties:
10
1. Action of air:
Zinc becomes dull when exposed to moist air for longer time.

2Zn + H2O + O2 + CO2 slow ZnCO3.Zn(OH)2

Basic zinc carbonate

When zinc is heated with air at 500oC, it burns with bluish white flame giving
white wooly flocks of ZnO (dense white smoke of zinc oxide) called
philosopher’s wool.
2Zn + O2 500°c 2ZnO
2. Action of water:
Pure Zn does not react with water but impure zinc evolve hydrogen gas.
Zn +2 H2O Zn(OH)2 + H2
11 4. Action of acids:
a. Zinc liberate hydrogen gas with dilute acids like HCl , H2SO4 .
Zn + Dil. H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
Zn + Dil. HCl ZnCl2 + H2
b. Zinc is oxidized by hot & conc. H2SO4 as
Zn + 2H2SO4 ZnSO4 + 2H2O + SO2
c. Action of nitric acid (HNO3):
i. With conc. HNO3
Zn + 4HNO3 Zn(NO3)2 + 2H2O + 2NO2
ii. With moderately concentrated (1:1) HNO3
3Zn + 8HNO3 3Zn(NO3)2 + 2NO + 4H2O
 4) Action with alkalies: When Zn is boiled with conc. Caustic alkalis,
12 sodium zincate and hydrogen gas is formed.
Zn + 2NaOH Na2ZnO2 + H2
5)Action with salt solution:
Zinc displaces less electropositive metals like copper, silver gold etc
from their salt solution.
Zn + CuSO4 ZnSO4 + Cu
Zn + 2AgNO3 Zn(NO3)2 +2Ag
Uses:
1. Used for galvanization process.
2. Zinc plates and rods are used in battery.
3. Used for the preparation of alloy.
4. Granulated zinc is used as a reducing agent.
13
White vitriol or Zinc Sulphate (ZnSO4.7H2O)
Hepta hydrate zinc sulphate is called white vitriol. In nature, it exists as zincosite (
ZnSO4). It is soluble in water.
Preparation:
1. When zinc or ZnO or ZnCO3 is treated with dil. H2SO4, aqueous solution of ZnSO4 is
obtained.
ZnO + dil.H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
ZnCO3 + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2SO4 + CO2
This solution on crystallization gives white vitriol.
ZnSO4 Crystallization ZnSO4.7H2O
2. By action of dilute sulphuric acid on granulated zinc.
Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
dil.
14 3. Commercially, Zinc sulphate is prepared by roasting zinc blend at temperature below 8oo°c.
ZnS + 2O2 T< 800°c ZnSO4

Physical properties:
1. It is crystalline white solid
2. It is efflorescent solid (loses water of crystallization when exposed to atmosphere).
3. It is highly soluble in water.
Chemical Properties
1. Action of heat:
ZnSO4.7H2O 40-70°c ZnSO4.6H2O 100°c ZnSO4.H2O 300°c ZnSO4 >800°c ZnO+ SO2+ O2

2. Action of sodium hydroxide: When zinc sulphate react with sodium hydroxide, white ppt of zinc
hydroxide is formed which react with excess of sodium hydroxide to give a solution of sodium zincate.
ZnSO4 + 2NaOH Zn(OH)2 + Na2SO4
Zn(OH)2 +2NaOH(Excess) Na2ZnO2 +2H2O
 3.Reaction with barium sulphide: When zinc sulphate react with barium sulphate, white
mass of zinc sulphide and barium sulphate is formed called lithopone.
15 ZnSO4 + BaS ZnS.BaSO4

4.Formation of double salts: An equimolar mixture of zinc sulphate and potassium sulphate
solution gives crystalline double salt after crystallization.
K2SO4(aq.) + ZnSO4(aq.) + 6H2O K2SO4.ZnSO4.6H2O
Potassium zinc sulphate
(double salt)
5. Action of potassium ferrocyanide:
2ZnSO4 + K4[Fe(CN)6] Zn2[Fe(CN)6] + K2SO4
White ppt
( zinc ferrocyanide)
Uses
1. It is used as electrolyte during electro-galvanization.
2. Its solution is used as eye lotion. (0.1 - 0.2% solution).
3. It is used as mordant for dyeing.
4. It is used for the preparation of lithopone, which is a white pigment.
16 Zinc White or Zinc oxide(ZnO)
When zinc is heated with air at 5000C it burns with blueish white flame giving zinc oxide also known
as philosopher wool or zinc white or Chinese white.
Preparation:
1. It can be obtained by heating zinc with air at 5000C.
2Zn + O2 500°c 2ZnO
2. When Zinc Carbonate or Nitrate is heated then ZnO is obtained.
ZnCO3 ZnO + CO2
2Zn(NO3)2 2ZnO + 4NO2 + O2
3. It can be obtained by heating Zinc Sulphide in air.
2ZnS + 3O2 2ZnO + 2SO2

Physical Properties
1. It is a white amorphous powder insoluble in water.
2. It melting point is high (1975oC).
 Chemical properties
17 1. Amphoteric nature: ZnO ( base) + 2dil.HCl ZnCl2 + H2O
ZnO(acid) + 2NaOH Na2ZnO2 + H2O
(Sodium zincate)
2. Oxidizing nature: ZnO + C Zn + CO
ZnO + H2 Zn + H2O

3. Action of cobalt nitrate: 2Co(NO3)2 2CoO + 4NO + O2

ZnO + CoO CoZnO2 or CoO.ZnO
Cobalt zincate or Rinman's green)

Uses
1.Zinc oxide is used as white pigment in paint under the name zinc white or Chinese white. It is
preferred over the pigment of lead as it does not get blackened by atmospheric gases like H2S.
2. It is used in preparing green pigment called Rinman's green.
3. It is used as glaze in ceramics.
4. It is used in cosmetic powders or creams.
 Galvanization
18
Introduction
A large amount of iron used as structural materials is being destroyed due to rusting. To protect iron from
rusting, it is coated with a layer of zinc. The process of coating a layer of zinc over the surface of iron
is called galvanization.
The Galvanization process
Galvanization of iron is carried out in the following steps:
Step 1: Cleaning: The article to be galvanized is first cleaned by sand blasting.
Step 2: Pickling: After cleaning the article (to be galvanized) using sand blast, it is dipped into dil.HCl
(or HNO3) solution so as to remove the oxide films formed on the iron surface. This process is called
pickling process.
Step 3: Galvanizing the article: Coating of Zn on the surface of iron can be achieved by the following
methods.
a. Hot dip Galvanizing: In this method, cleaned article is kept in molten zinc, such that thin layer of Zn
is coated. Then a gentle press is given to make the surface smooth and homogeneous.
 b. Sherardizing: In this method, cleaned article is heated in rotating drum with zinc dust at 800oC for several
19 hours (At this temperature alloy is not formed). Uniform layer of zinc is coated. But the process is costly
(is being used for galvanizing nuts, bolts, etc.)
c. Metallizing: In this method, molten zinc is sprayed over the article. This method is suitable for
galvanization of iron in bridges, ships, etc.
d. Electroplating: In this method, iron is made cathode zinc is made anode. Acidified zinc sulphate is used
as electrolyte. When D.C. is supplied, Zn gets dissolved from anode is deposited at cathode.

Step 4: Rolling: Galvanized iron is pressed through rollers to make the surface smooth.

Mode of protection
1. Barrier protection: Zinc acts as barrier between corroding atmosphere and iron. In this way galvanization
process protects from rusting.
2. Cathodic protection (sacrificial protection): Even if small amount of iron is exposed, iron acts as
cathode and zinc acts as anode. Thus oxidation takes place at zinc. Here zinc is sacrificed for protecting
iron.
 Q.1. What is galvanization?
Ans: The process of coating a thin layer of zinc on the surface of Iron so as to
20 protect it from rusting is called galvanization.

Q.2. What is Rinmann's green? Write its use.

Or. What happens when zinc oxide is heated with cobalt nitrate?
Ans: When ZnO is heated with Cobalt nitrate, a green colored mass called as
Rinmann's green is obtained. It is used as a green pigment to color houses. :
2Co(NO3)2 2CoO + 4NO2 + O2
ZnO + CoO CoZnO2 or CoO.ZnO
(Cobalt zincate or Rinmann's green)
It is used for detection of presence of Zn++ ion in salt solution under the name
of filter ash test
Q.3.What is lithopone? Write its use
Ans: It is a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide which is widely used as
white pigment powder. It is used as white pigment in paints which protect from
atmospheric H2S.
ZnSO4 + BaS ZnS+BaSO4 or, ZnSO4.BaS ( lithopone)