Zinc

Occurrence
 Zinc does not occur free in the nature
 Always found in combined state.

 Chief ores of zinc are:

1. Zinc blende: ZnS
2. Franklinite: ZnO. Fe2O3
3. Calamine/zinc spar: ZnCO3
4. Zincite/red zinc: ZnO

Extraction of Zinc
Zinc can be extracted from its ore by two different methods
i. Carbon reduction process
ii. Electrolytic process
Carbon Reduction Process

A. Crushing and Pulverization

• The ore is first crushed by jaw crusher into small pieces
• Pulverized into fine powdered ore in ball mills
B. Concentration
• The sulphide ore is concentrated by froth floatation process.
• The powdered ore is mixed with pine oil or eucalyptus oil and water stirred
by means of a blast of air.
• Pine oil or eucalyptus oil acts as frothing agent.
• Particles of sulphide ore preferentially wetted by the oil and come to
the
surface.
• The gangue particles remain at the bottom being wetted by water.
C. Roasting
• Concentrated ore is subjected for roasting at about 900ᵒC in presence of excess air.
• The following changes occurs during roasting:

ZnS + 3O2 → 2ZnO + SO2↑

• Some of the zinc suphide is also converted into zinc sulphate.
ZnS + 2O2 → ZnSO4
>900ᵒ𝐶
2ZnSO4 2ZnO + 2SO2 + O2

• The impurities like Sulphur, Phosphorus, Arsenic and Antimony are removed as
their volatile oxides.
S + O2 → SO2↑
P4 + SO2 → 2P2O5↑
D. Reduction(Continuous Vertical Retort Process)
• Zinc oxide obtained by roasting is heated with carbon in the furnace to
reduce the oxide into metallic form.
∆
ZnO + C ՜ Zn + CO
• Mixture of ZnO and coke in 2:1 ratio in the form of small briquettes are fed
from charging door.
• Furnace is externally heated by the producer gas at about 1400ᵒC.
• In this condition zinc oxide is reduced to zinc which the vaporizes.
• The vapour of zinc and carbon monoxide after reduction is carried out in
the condenser.
• Thus zinc obtained in the condenser after release of volatile impurities is
known as spelter zinc(67.08% pure).
Figure: Vertical Retort Process
Purification:
 Zinc thus obtained is not pure, it contains impurities like lead, iron, cadmium, arsenic, antimony etc.
 It is purified by the following methods.
i. Fractional distillation:
 The boiling point of lead (1620ᵒC) and iron (3000ᵒC) is higher than that of zinc (907ᵒC) while that of cadmium (767ᵒC)
is lower than zinc.
 Thus, spelter zinc is subjected for distillation at 1000ᵒC, only zinc and cadmium are distilled off leaving behind Fe and
Pb. The vapours of distillate are collected in the receiver.
 When zinc containing cadmium is distilled at 800ᵒC, cadmium distils over (b.pt. 767ᵒC) leaving behind zinc in the
retort.
 Zinc thus obtained is 99.9% pure.
distil at 1000°C
 Zn, Fe, Pb, Cd Zn & Cd distil out
distil at 800°C
 Zn, Cd Cd distils out leaving pure Zn as
residue
Electrolysis:
 The ultra-pure zinc can be obtained by electrolytic purification making an electrolytic cell containing acidified zinc
sulphate solution.
 Anode made of impure zinc i.e. spelter zinc and cathode of pure zinc metal is dipped in the electrolytic solution.
 When electricity is passed, zinc from the anode dissolves out, and an equivalent amount of pure zinc is deposited on
the cathode whereas impurities are left on the bottom of the anode as anode mud.
ZnSO4 ՜ Z n + + + SO4 – –
At anode: Zn ՜ Zn++ + 2e–
At cathode: Zn++ + 2e– ՜
Zn

Figure: Electrolytic refining of zinc

Properties of Zinc
Physical properties:
1. Zinc is a bluish
white metal
2. It melts at
420 oC and
boils 908 oC
3. good
conductor of
heat and
electricity
4. Its specific
gravity is 7.14

Chemical
properties:
Zinc when heated in air, oxidized into philosopher’s wool (ZnO), it is called so
because it is insoluble in water and it is very light and white.

Action with acids:

With conc. H2SO4 on heating SO2 gas evolves.
Displacement reaction : Zinc can displace less electropositive metals like copper,
silver, gold etc from their soluble salt.

5. Action with alkali : Zinc is dissolves in hot and conc. Alkali solution to
form metal zincate and hydrogen.
Uses of Zinc:

A. Commerical uses

1. Zinc is used in galvanization of iron for preventing iron from rusting.

2. Used in precipitating reaction of Ag and Au in cyanide process

3. Manufacture of dyes, drugs and artificial perfumes.

4. In the preparation of alloys like brass, German silver.

5. As a negative electrode in dry cell

6. As a reducing agent in the chemical reaction

8. In paints and rubber industry

Biological uses:
Zinc contains in human body should be 2g. There are about 20 different enzyme of
zinc working in our body
1. Carbonic anhydrase enzyme of zinc enhance the absorption of CO2 in blood
cells in tissues and muscles and it also helps to release back CO2 from the
lungs.
2. Enzyme such as dehydrogenses and aldoses catalyse sugar metabolism,
Carboxypeptidase works for protein metabolism.
Zinc Sulphate: ZnSO4.7H2O : White vitriol
Heptahydrated zinc sulphate crystal is commonly known as white vitriol. In nature it occurs in zincosite
(ZnSO4) and zinc vitriol (ZnSO4.7H2O)
Preparation:
1. By action of dilute sulphuric acid on granulated zinc

2. By action of sulphuric acid on zinc

oxide

3. By action of sulphuric acid on zinc carbonate or

hydroxide
 Aqueous solution obtained by any of the above method is subjected for crystallization to obtain white
vitriol.

 ZnSO4.7H2O is formed below 30 oC, ZnSO4.6H2O is obtained above 30 oC, ZnSO4.H2O at 100oC , ZnSO4
formed at 300oC.
 Technically it is prepared from zinc blende in air at 600oC
Physical properties:
1. It is white crystalline solid high soluble in
water
2. Loss water when expose to air.

3. Action of heat

4. Action with NaOH solution : white precipitate of zinc hydroxide forms, ppt
dissolves to give sodium zincate when excess of the NaOH used.
5. Action with H2S: When hydrogen sulphide gas is passed through alkaline
solution of white vitriol, a white precipitate of zinc sulphide is formed.

6. With potassium ferrocyanide : When aq. Solution of white vitriol treated with
potassium ferrocyanide, gives white precipitate of zinc ferrocyanide.

7. Action with barium sulphide: Zinc sulphate reacts with barium sulphide to
give lithopone which is a white paint.
8. Double salt formation: when equimolar solution of potassium sulphate and zinc
sulphate is subjected for crystallization, double salt is obtained.

USES:
1. Used in preparation of white pigment lithopone
2. in medicine, specially in eye drop and lotion
3. as an electrolyte in refining of zinc
4. As a styptic ( to check bleeding
1. What action takes place when aqueous sodium hydroxide is added to zinc
sulphate solution drop by drop till excess.
2. Write the name of two ore of Zinc with their molecular formulae.
3. Give the chemical equation when Zinc is dissolved in hot and conc. NaOH
solution
4. Why does Zinc becomes dull in moist air?
5. What is the action of heat on white vitriol?
6. What happen when zinc white is heated?
7. Give the reaction for the extraction of metallic zinc from zinc blende
8. How is lithopone prepared? Write its importance application
9. How is Zinc extracted from its ore?
10. Write the chemistry of white vitriol