83-510: Risdon Zinc Works (trading as Nyrstar Hobart ) is a major zinc refinery located in Lutana , a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania , Australia . The smelter is one of the world's largest in terms of production volume, producing over 280,000 tonnes (280,000 long tons; 310,000 short tons) annually of high-grade zinc , primarily as die-cast alloys and continuous galvanising -grade alloys. These products are exported for global markets and utilised in
166-409: A condenser . Some alchemists called this zinc oxide lana philosophica , Latin for "philosopher's wool", because it collected in wooly tufts, whereas others thought it looked like white snow and named it nix album . The name of the metal was probably first documented by Paracelsus , a Swiss-born German alchemist, who referred to the metal as "zincum" or "zinken" in his book Liber Mineralium II , in
249-428: A gamma ray . Zn has three excited metastable states and Zn has two. The isotopes Zn , Zn , Zn and Zn each have only one excited metastable state. The most common decay mode of a radioisotope of zinc with a mass number lower than 66 is electron capture . The decay product resulting from electron capture is an isotope of copper. The most common decay mode of
332-617: A banner proclaiming "Stop E. Z. Dumping." As the dump ship departed the dock, Greenpeace protesters made another attempt to board but were met with aggression from Anson crew members. During the altercation, one activist sustained head injuries after a police boat collided with a Greenpeace inflatable vessel. The day after, law enforcement seized four inflatables and the 60-foot (18 m) Greenpeace vessel SV Redbill, indicating they would only be returned if Greenpeace ceased their protests. In response, 250 individuals in 30 boats rallied to support Greenpeace's campaign against ocean dumping and demanded
415-410: A brawl in the workplace tearoom. Nyrstar Hobart opened the site to the public as part of the 2012 Open Doors initiative. In 2013, management began prioritising visitors, encouraging educational institutions and school group to tour the facility. Nyrstar further launched The Big Picture campaign in late 2013, promoting the smelter on billboard and television ads, a website, and social media to emphasise
498-518: A by-product of smelting sulfide ores. Zinc in such remnants in smelting ovens was usually discarded as it was thought to be worthless. The manufacture of brass was known to the Romans by about 30 BC. They made brass by heating powdered calamine (zinc silicate or carbonate), charcoal and copper together in a crucible. The resulting calamine brass was then either cast or hammered into shape for use in weaponry. Some coins struck by Romans in
581-561: A dam and power plant in the centre of the state using water from the Great Lake . Lack of funding prevented the construction of the dam and power plant, which was eventually taken over by the Tasmanian Government in 1914. Despite Gillies' continuing efforts to construct a zinc and carbide facility at Electrona, only the carbide factory was completed. The majority of Britain's supplies came from Germany and Belgium, but when
664-400: A half-life of 243.66 days, is the least active radioisotope, followed by Zn with a half-life of 46.5 hours. Zinc has 10 nuclear isomers , of which Zn has the longest half-life, 13.76 h. The superscript m indicates a metastable isotope. The nucleus of a metastable isotope is in an excited state and will return to the ground state by emitting a photon in the form of
747-555: A larger spectrum of metals, Nyrstar invested $ 52 million to modernise the facility in 2015. With the Tasmanian Government serving as guarantee, the Australian Government's Export Finance and Insurance Corporation authorised a $ 29 million loan to be used for the refurbishment. In 2022, the Albanese Government contributed $ 50 million of an estimated $ 400 million modernisation of the smelter. Nyrstar expect
830-515: A metal which, when oxidized, produces pushpanjan , thought to be zinc oxide. Zinc mines at Zawar, near Udaipur in India, have been active since the Mauryan period ( c. 322 and 187 BCE). The smelting of metallic zinc here, however, appears to have begun around the 12th century AD. One estimate is that this location produced an estimated million tonnes of metallic zinc and zinc oxide from
913-417: A metal–carbon sigma bond . Cobalticyanide paper (Rinnmann's test for Zn) can be used as a chemical indicator for zinc. 4 g of K 3 Co(CN) 6 and 1 g of KClO 3 is dissolved on 100 ml of water. Paper is dipped in the solution and dried at 100 °C. One drop of the sample is dropped onto the dry paper and heated. A green disc indicates the presence of zinc. Various isolated examples of
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#1732783979052996-405: A method to eliminate iron from zinc. This procedure involved the extraction of iron in the form of jarosite , a byproduct containing iron, along with various hazardous substances such as cadmium, arsenic, copper, mercury, lead, and residual zinc. From 1971 to 1997, the jarosite process was implemented at Risdon Zinc Works until it was replaced by the paragoethite process, which was also patented at
1079-805: A new entity, Zinifex , which was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in April 2004. Other assets including the Cockle Creek Smelter were wound down. The Cockle Creek Smelter was closed in September 2003 with the largest site remediation in Australia conducted over an 11-year period. With this completed, in November 2014 administrator Ferrier Hodgson advised creditors they would receive 22 cents in
1162-510: A process in 1758 for calcining zinc sulfide into an oxide usable in the retort process. Prior to this, only calamine could be used to produce zinc. In 1798, Johann Christian Ruberg improved on the smelting process by building the first horizontal retort smelter. Jean-Jacques Daniel Dony built a different kind of horizontal zinc smelter in Belgium that processed even more zinc. Italian doctor Luigi Galvani discovered in 1780 that connecting
1245-596: A quantity of what he called "calay" (from the Malay or Hindi word for tin) originating from Malabar off a cargo ship captured from the Portuguese in the year 1596. Libavius described the properties of the sample, which may have been zinc. Zinc was regularly imported to Europe from the Orient in the 17th and early 18th centuries, but was at times very expensive. Metallic zinc was isolated in India by 1300 AD. Before it
1328-401: A radioisotope of zinc with mass number higher than 66 is beta decay (β ), which produces an isotope of gallium . Zinc has an electron configuration of [Ar]3d 4s and is a member of the group 12 of the periodic table . It is a moderately reactive metal and strong reducing agent . The surface of the pure metal tarnishes quickly, eventually forming a protective passivating layer of
1411-485: A wide range of industries and products, from building and infrastructure to transportation, business equipment, communications, electronics, and consumer goods. The facility produces zinc using the Roast, Leach, Electrowinning (RLE) method, creating leach byproducts, including cadmium , gypsum , copper sulphate , lead sulphate , sulphuric acid , paragoethite and leach concentrate. The refinery has been owned and operated by
1494-418: A worker was severely burnt in an explosion whilst overseeing the production of zinc sheets within the electrolysis department. In 2019, a worker with over thirty years experience died at the refinery in an area of the plant susceptible to sulphur dioxide. Nyrstar offered counselling for workers, however the coroner's report revealed that the man had died of natural causes. In 2020, two workers were fired following
1577-495: A zinc atom in the reactive center are widespread in biochemistry, such as alcohol dehydrogenase in humans. Consumption of excess zinc may cause ataxia , lethargy , and copper deficiency . In marine biomes, notably within polar regions, a deficit of zinc can compromise the vitality of primary algal communities, potentially destabilizing the intricate marine trophic structures and consequently impacting biodiversity. Brass , an alloy of copper and zinc in various proportions,
1660-403: Is a chalcophile , meaning the element is more likely to be found in minerals together with sulfur and other heavy chalcogens , rather than with the light chalcogen oxygen or with non-chalcogen electronegative elements such as the halogens . Sulfides formed as the crust solidified under the reducing conditions of the early Earth's atmosphere. Sphalerite , which is a form of zinc sulfide,
1743-475: Is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic table . In some respects, zinc is chemically similar to magnesium : both elements exhibit only one normal oxidation state (+2), and the Zn and Mg ions are of similar size. Zinc
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#17327839790521826-546: Is being smelted. In Britain, John Lane is said to have carried out experiments to smelt zinc, probably at Landore , prior to his bankruptcy in 1726. In 1738 in Great Britain, William Champion patented a process to extract zinc from calamine in a vertical retort -style smelter. His technique resembled that used at Zawar zinc mines in Rajasthan , but no evidence suggests he visited the Orient. Champion's process
1909-527: Is hard and brittle at most temperatures but becomes malleable between 100 and 150 °C. Above 210 °C, the metal becomes brittle again and can be pulverized by beating. Zinc is a fair conductor of electricity . For a metal, zinc has relatively low melting (419.5 °C) and boiling point (907 °C). The melting point is the lowest of all the d-block metals aside from mercury and cadmium ; for this reason among others, zinc, cadmium, and mercury are often not considered to be transition metals like
1992-464: Is implicated by the formation of a yellow diamagnetic glass by dissolving metallic zinc in molten ZnCl 2 . The [Zn 2 ] core would be analogous to the [Hg 2 ] cation present in mercury (I) compounds. The diamagnetic nature of the ion confirms its dimeric structure. The first zinc(I) compound containing the Zn–Zn bond, (η -C 5 Me 5 ) 2 Zn 2 . Binary compounds of zinc are known for most of
2075-410: Is known as Special High Grade, often abbreviated SHG , and is 99.995% pure. Worldwide, 95% of new zinc is mined from sulfidic ore deposits, in which sphalerite (ZnS) is nearly always mixed with the sulfides of copper, lead and iron. Zinc mines are scattered throughout the world, with the main areas being China, Australia, and Peru. China produced 38% of the global zinc output in 2014. Zinc metal
2158-545: Is necessary for prenatal and postnatal development. It is the second most abundant trace metal in humans after iron and it is the only metal which appears in all enzyme classes . Zinc is also an essential nutrient element for coral growth as it is an important cofactor for many enzymes. Zinc deficiency affects about two billion people in the developing world and is associated with many diseases. In children, deficiency causes growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, infection susceptibility, and diarrhea . Enzymes with
2241-524: Is necessary for the leaching process. If deposits of zinc carbonate , zinc silicate , or zinc-spinel (like the Skorpion Deposit in Namibia ) are used for zinc production, the roasting can be omitted. For further processing two basic methods are used: pyrometallurgy or electrowinning . Pyrometallurgy reduces zinc oxide with carbon or carbon monoxide at 950 °C (1,740 °F) into
2324-437: Is produced using extractive metallurgy . The ore is finely ground, then put through froth flotation to separate minerals from gangue (on the property of hydrophobicity ), to get a zinc sulfide ore concentrate consisting of about 50% zinc, 32% sulfur, 13% iron, and 5% SiO 2 . Roasting converts the zinc sulfide concentrate to zinc oxide: The sulfur dioxide is used for the production of sulfuric acid, which
2407-585: Is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes . The most common zinc ore is sphalerite (zinc blende), a zinc sulfide mineral. The largest workable lodes are in Australia, Asia, and the United States. Zinc is refined by froth flotation of the ore, roasting , and final extraction using electricity ( electrowinning ). Zinc is an essential trace element for humans, animals, plants and for microorganisms and
2490-532: Is the most heavily mined zinc-containing ore because its concentrate contains 60–62% zinc. Other source minerals for zinc include smithsonite (zinc carbonate ), hemimorphite (zinc silicate ), wurtzite (another zinc sulfide), and sometimes hydrozincite (basic zinc carbonate ). With the exception of wurtzite, all these other minerals were formed by weathering of the primordial zinc sulfides. Identified world zinc resources total about 1.9–2.8 billion tonnes . Large deposits are in Australia, Canada and
2573-707: The First World War broke out, zinc metal became a scarcity throughout the British Empire, which was needed to manufacture weapons. When Germany invaded Belgium, the price of zinc soared by 312 times. Construction of the Risdon Zinc Works by EZ Industries commenced in 1916. It opened in 1918. The operations of the Risdon Zinc Works were tied in with the mining of zinc in Rosebery and Williamsford . Amalgamated Zinc Limited began looking into
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2656-612: The convict-built , 1830s causeway connecting Granton and Bridgewater via the Bridgewater Bridge acts as a catchment for wastewater pollutants from the smelter. Further to this upstream at Boyer , the pulp and paper mill Norske Skog Boyer routinely pump organic matter, suspended solids, and chemical substances used in the paper-making process into the river. Studies in 2009, 2012 and 2020 have concluded that sludge , wastewater and heavy metal contaminants, including cadmium, lead, zinc and mercury, risk being disturbed by
2739-469: The metalloids and all the nonmetals except the noble gases . The oxide ZnO is a white powder that is nearly insoluble in neutral aqueous solutions, but is amphoteric , dissolving in both strong basic and acidic solutions. The other chalcogenides ( ZnS , ZnSe , and ZnTe ) have varied applications in electronics and optics. Pnictogenides ( Zn 3 N 2 , Zn 3 P 2 , Zn 3 As 2 and Zn 3 Sb 2 ),
2822-518: The spinal cord of a freshly dissected frog to an iron rail attached by a brass hook caused the frog's leg to twitch. He incorrectly thought he had discovered an ability of nerves and muscles to create electricity and called the effect " animal electricity ". The galvanic cell and the process of galvanization were both named for Luigi Galvani, and his discoveries paved the way for electrical batteries , galvanization, and cathodic protection . Galvani's friend, Alessandro Volta , continued researching
2905-403: The 12th to 16th centuries. Another estimate gives a total production of 60,000 tonnes of metallic zinc over this period. The Rasaratna Samuccaya , written in approximately the 13th century AD, mentions two types of zinc-containing ores: one used for metal extraction and another used for medicinal purposes. Zinc was distinctly recognized as a metal under the designation of Yasada or Jasada in
2988-619: The 16th century. The word is probably derived from the German zinke , and supposedly meant "tooth-like, pointed or jagged" (metallic zinc crystals have a needle-like appearance). Zink could also imply "tin-like" because of its relation to German zinn meaning tin. Yet another possibility is that the word is derived from the Persian word سنگ seng meaning stone. The metal was also called Indian tin , tutanego , calamine , and spinter . German metallurgist Andreas Libavius received
3071-458: The 1980s, top soil samples from Lutana, Geilston Bay and Lindisfarne revealed high concentrations of zinc , lead , and cadmium . The sampling also revealed that the prevailing wind directions, the terrain of the land, and proximity to the smelter had an impact on the contamination's dissemination pattern. Early to mid-1990s soil sampling around Lutana and the eastern shore revealed that increased levels of cadmium, lead, and zinc were confined to
3154-422: The 24th most abundant element. It also makes up 312 ppm of the solar system, where it is the 22nd most abundant element. Typical background concentrations of zinc do not exceed 1 μg/m in the atmosphere; 300 mg/kg in soil; 100 mg/kg in vegetation; 20 μg/L in freshwater and 5 μg/L in seawater. The element is normally found in association with other base metals such as copper and lead in ores . Zinc
3237-570: The Christian era are made of what is probably calamine brass. The oldest known pills were made of the zinc carbonates hydrozincite and smithsonite. The pills were used for sore eyes and were found aboard the Roman ship Relitto del Pozzino , wrecked in 140 BC. The Berne zinc tablet is a votive plaque dating to Roman Gaul made of an alloy that is mostly zinc. The Charaka Samhita , thought to have been written between 300 and 500 AD, mentions
3320-472: The Derwent estuary greatly contributed in creating one of the most polluted river systems in the world by the close of the 1970s. Deposits of zinc, mercury, cadmium and lead, which are harmful to marine life and accumulate in seafood continue to plague the river greatly due to legacy pollution. In the 1960s, a collaborative patent was established with then-operator Pasminco Metals-EZ and two other companies for
3403-472: The Derwent estuary, including oysters , mussels and flathead . Data is collected from the river every five years, with monitoring extending from New Norfolk out to the Iron Pot , with Storm Bay and the neighbouring D'Entrecasteaux Channel excluded from investigation. 2016 statistics revealed that bream and shellfish caught in the river could not be consumed due to high mercury levels . Upstream,
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3486-560: The New Bridgewater Bridge construction project. Developed in collaboration with GHD Group , a Groundwater Interception System (GIS) was constructed in 2010. The GIS is made up of 13 horizontal cased and open hole bores measuring 150 millimetres (5.9 in) in diameter with lengths varying from 160–220 metres (520–720 ft) each. The total length of the free draining bores is little under 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The neighbouring wastewater treatment facility receives
3569-478: The United States, with the largest reserves in Iran . The most recent estimate of reserve base for zinc (meets specified minimum physical criteria related to current mining and production practices) was made in 2009 and calculated to be roughly 480 Mt. Zinc reserves, on the other hand, are geologically identified ore bodies whose suitability for recovery is economically based (location, grade, quality, and quantity) at
3652-838: The air, soils and estuary waters surrounding Greater Hobart . Drawing from data complied in the National Pollutant Inventory , a report by the Australian Conservation Foundation placed Hobart at number 6 of Australia's most polluted cities in 2018. The data identified medium levels of air pollution in postcodes 7009 (Lutana, Derwent Park , Moonah , West Moonah ), 7010 ( Glenorchy , Rosetta , Montrose , Goodwood , Dowsing Point ) and 7015 ( Lindisfarne , Geilston Bay , Rose Bay ) with average airborne emission readings of 40% NO x ( nitric oxide ( NO ) and nitrogen dioxide ( NO 2 )), and 57% sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). In
3735-419: The basic zinc carbonate , Zn 5 (OH) 6 (CO 3 ) 2 , by reaction with atmospheric carbon dioxide . Zinc burns in air with a bright bluish-green flame, giving off fumes of zinc oxide . Zinc reacts readily with acids , alkalis and other non-metals. Extremely pure zinc reacts only slowly at room temperature with acids. Strong acids, such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid , can remove
3818-420: The chromate ZnCrO 4 (one of the few colored zinc compounds) are a few examples of other common inorganic compounds of zinc. Organozinc compounds are those that contain zinc– carbon covalent bonds. Diethylzinc ( (C 2 H 5 ) 2 Zn ) is a reagent in synthetic chemistry. It was first reported in 1848 from the reaction of zinc and ethyl iodide , and was the first compound known to contain
3901-569: The effect and invented the Voltaic pile in 1800. Volta's pile consisted of a stack of simplified galvanic cells , each being one plate of copper and one of zinc connected by an electrolyte . By stacking these units in series, the Voltaic pile (or "battery") as a whole had a higher voltage, which could be used more easily than single cells. Electricity is produced because the Volta potential between
3984-543: The electricity needed for a refinery's electrolytic process. Gillies purchased land south of Hobart at Electrona in 1909 with the intention of constructing an electrolytic zinc plant as well as other high energy uses, such as the manufacturing of calcium carbide . Gillies founded the Hydro-Electric Power and Metallurgical Company, and was given permission by the Tasmanian Government to build
4067-422: The facility began manufacturing superphosphate for the fertiliser industry. Roasting furnaces were built to produce the sulphur dioxide needed to make sulphuric acid. The production of ammonium sulphate began as a means to utilise the sulphuric acid produced as an onsite byproduct. By the mid-1970s, the smelter was exporting seventy-percent of its production overseas. The Risdon Zinc Works works were included in
4150-429: The facility upgrades will streamline the production of up to 300,000 tonnes (300,000 long tons; 330,000 short tons) of cathode zinc per annum. In 2012, residents of Lutana, Cornelian Bay , Risdon and Lindisfarne were forced to stay indoors following a gas leak attributed to a defective transformer at the smelter, emitting sulphur trioxide and sulphur dioxide . Some areas of the smelter were also evacuated. In 2017,
4233-439: The formation of Zn 2 Cl 2 , a zinc compound with a +1 oxidation state. No compounds of zinc in positive oxidation states other than +1 or +2 are known. Calculations indicate that a zinc compound with the oxidation state of +4 is unlikely to exist. Zn(III) is predicted to exist in the presence of strongly electronegative trianions; however, there exists some doubt around this possibility. But in 2021 another compound
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#17327839790524316-545: The global multi-metals business Nyrstar since 2007. Nyrstar Hobart works closely with the Nyrstar Port Pirie multi-metals smelter in South Australia . The facility is Tasmania's largest exporter, contributing 25% of the state's overall export value in 2013. James Hyndes Gillies came to Hobart in 1908 with plans to build a zinc refinery and a hydroelectric facility, the latter of which would produce
4399-412: The government for the delivery of power. During the 1920s the facility saw rapid expansion, becoming the world's largest zinc smelter, a title it held until the late 1930s. The settlement of the suburb of Lutana was almost exclusively that of EZ workers. Pollution from the works was an issue for the company, and successor companies that operated the works as well as disposal of waste out to sea. In 1924,
4482-461: The hydroxide Zn(OH) 2 forms as a white precipitate . In stronger alkaline solutions, this hydroxide is dissolved to form zincates ( [Zn(OH) 4 ] ). The nitrate Zn(NO 3 ) 2 , chlorate Zn(ClO 3 ) 2 , sulfate ZnSO 4 , phosphate Zn 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , molybdate ZnMoO 4 , cyanide Zn(CN) 2 , arsenite Zn(AsO 2 ) 2 , arsenate Zn(AsO 4 ) 2 ·8H 2 O and
4565-459: The medical Lexicon ascribed to the Hindu king Madanapala (of Taka dynasty) and written about the year 1374. Smelting and extraction of impure zinc by reducing calamine with wool and other organic substances was accomplished in the 13th century in India. The Chinese did not learn of the technique until the 17th century. Alchemists burned zinc metal in air and collected the resulting zinc oxide on
4648-414: The metal, which is distilled as zinc vapor to separate it from other metals, which are not volatile at those temperatures. The zinc vapor is collected in a condenser. The equations below describe this process: In electrowinning , zinc is leached from the ore concentrate by sulfuric acid and impurities are precipitated: Pasminco Pasminco was an Australian mining company founded in 1988. It
4731-420: The organic laboratory. Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous, diamagnetic metal, though most common commercial grades of the metal have a dull finish. It is somewhat less dense than iron and has a hexagonal crystal structure , with a distorted form of hexagonal close packing , in which each atom has six nearest neighbors (at 265.9 pm) in its own plane and six others at a greater distance of 290.6 pm. The metal
4814-525: The passivating layer and the subsequent reaction with the acid releases hydrogen gas. The chemistry of zinc is dominated by the +2 oxidation state. When compounds in this oxidation state are formed, the outer shell s electrons are lost, yielding a bare zinc ion with the electronic configuration [Ar]3d . In aqueous solution an octahedral complex, [Zn(H 2 O) 6 ] is the predominant species. The volatilization of zinc in combination with zinc chloride at temperatures above 285 °C indicates
4897-406: The peroxide ( ZnO 2 ), the hydride ( ZnH 2 ), and the carbide ( ZnC 2 ) are also known. Of the four halides , ZnF 2 has the most ionic character, while the others ( ZnCl 2 , ZnBr 2 , and ZnI 2 ) have relatively low melting points and are considered to have more covalent character. In weak basic solutions containing Zn ions,
4980-525: The production of electrolytic zinc after acquiring thousands of tonnes of high-zinc concentrate in Broken Hill. The company's general manager, Herbert Gepp, was tasked with looking into the procedure when he was in America looking for markets for concentrate. Because of Tasmania's commitment in supplying cheap hydroelectric power, the corporation decided to establish a site there and signed a contract with
5063-643: The refinery. Commencing in 1973, Pasminco Metals-EZ initiated the disposal of jarosite into the southern ocean. Situated approximately 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) from Hobart beyond the continental shelf in waters with a depth of around 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), research conducted in proximity to the disposal site identified elevated concentrations of heavy metals in marine organisms, including heightened cadmium levels in fish and sea birds. Between 1973 and 1997, Pasminco Metals-EZ were legally permitted to load and dump up to 2,400,000 tonnes (2,400,000 long tons; 2,600,000 short tons) of jarosite waste into
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#17327839790525146-399: The remainder, have been found that are 2,500 years old. A possibly prehistoric statuette containing 87.5% zinc was found in a Dacian archaeological site. Strabo writing in the 1st century BC (but quoting a now lost work of the 4th century BC historian Theopompus ) mentions "drops of false silver" which when mixed with copper make brass. This may refer to small quantities of zinc that is
5229-541: The reserve lifetime for zinc has remained unchanged. About 346 million tonnes have been extracted throughout history to 2002, and scholars have estimated that about 109–305 million tonnes are in use. Five stable isotopes of zinc occur in nature, with Zn being the most abundant isotope (49.17% natural abundance ). The other isotopes found in nature are Zn (27.73%), Zn (4.04%), Zn (18.45%), and Zn (0.61%). Several dozen radioisotopes have been characterized. Zn , which has
5312-497: The rest of the d-block metals. Many alloys contain zinc, including brass. Other metals long known to form binary alloys with zinc are aluminium , antimony , bismuth , gold , iron, lead , mercury, silver , tin , magnesium , cobalt , nickel , tellurium , and sodium . Although neither zinc nor zirconium is ferromagnetic , their alloy, ZrZn 2 , exhibits ferromagnetism below 35 K . Zinc makes up about 75 ppm (0.0075%) of Earth's crust , making it
5395-631: The return of the vessels. The boats were returned the following day, and the Federal Minister for the Environment Ros Kelly announced enhanced monitoring procedures and research into alternative waste disposal methods. As part of their operating permit conditions with the Environment Protection Authority , Nyrstar are required to monitor levels of toxic heavy metals in marine life sourced within
5478-515: The sale of EZ Industries to North Broken Hill Peko in 1984. The smelter has subsequently been operated by Pasminco , Zinifex and since 2007 by Nyrstar . Historically, run-off from outdoor stockpiles of smelter production contaminated soil on the site, surrounding suburbs and the River Derwent . Despite regular monitoring primarily concerned with legacy pollution , the smelter continues to produce toxic heavy metal contaminants affecting
5561-529: The same crystal structure , and in other circumstances where ionic radius is a determining factor, the chemistry of zinc has much in common with that of magnesium. In other respects, there is little similarity with the late first-row transition metals. Zinc tends to form bonds with a greater degree of covalency and much more stable complexes with N - and S - donors. Complexes of zinc are mostly 4- or 6- coordinate , although 5-coordinate complexes are known. Zinc(I) compounds are very rare. The [Zn 2 ] ion
5644-598: The second known zinc-containing enzyme in 1955. Zinc is the fourth most common metal in use, trailing only iron , aluminium , and copper with an annual production of about 13 million tonnes. The world's largest zinc producer is Nyrstar , a merger of the Australian OZ Minerals and the Belgian Umicore . About 70% of the world's zinc originates from mining, while the remaining 30% comes from recycling secondary zinc. Commercially pure zinc
5727-487: The significance of its smelter operations to the Tasmanian economy. The main Risdon Zinc Works entrance is located on Risdon Road. The northern entrance is accessible via Derwent Park Road . [REDACTED] Media related to Nyrstar Zinc Works, Hobart at Wikimedia Commons 42°49′55.18″S 147°19′3.74″E / 42.8319944°S 147.3177056°E / -42.8319944; 147.3177056 Zinc Zinc
5810-401: The southern ocean annually. Annual sea dumping volumes are contested and vary between 1,700,000-tonne (1,700,000-long-ton; 1,900,000-short-ton) and 2,500,000-tonne (2,500,000-long-ton; 2,800,000-short-ton) approximations. On 14 March 1990, at the docks of Electrolytic Zinc, three activists from Greenpeace were apprehended while occupying the masts of the dumping vessel MV Anson. They displayed
5893-414: The system's discharge. The system was designed to be low maintenance, containing no pumps or electrical power. The GIS extracts approximately 115 tonnes (113 long tons; 127 short tons) of zinc, 3 tonnes (3.0 long tons; 3.3 short tons) of cadmium , 7 tonnes (6.9 long tons; 7.7 short tons) of aluminium , and 332 tonnes (327 long tons; 366 short tons) of sulphate from groundwater annually. In order to treat
5976-533: The time of determination. Since exploration and mine development is an ongoing process, the amount of zinc reserves is not a fixed number and sustainability of zinc ore supplies cannot be judged by simply extrapolating the combined mine life of today's zinc mines. This concept is well supported by data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which illustrates that although refined zinc production increased 80% between 1990 and 2010,
6059-542: The top 50 millimetres (2.0 in) of the soil profile, with the bulk concentrated in the top 20 millimetres (0.79 in). A 2009 report conducted by the CSIRO recommended that home-grown vegetables vulnerable to the uptake of heavy metals including lettuce, spinach, carrot and beetroot should be grown in raised garden beds with a minimum depth of 30 centimetres (12 in) in clean soil. The smelter's discharging of methylmercury (mercury) and other toxic heavy metals into
6142-423: The two metal plates makes electrons flow from the zinc to the copper and corrode the zinc. The non-magnetic character of zinc and its lack of color in solution delayed discovery of its importance to biochemistry and nutrition. This changed in 1940 when carbonic anhydrase , an enzyme that scrubs carbon dioxide from blood, was shown to have zinc in its active site . The digestive enzyme carboxypeptidase became
6225-498: The use of impure zinc in ancient times have been discovered. Zinc ores were used to make the zinc–copper alloy brass thousands of years prior to the discovery of zinc as a separate element. Judean brass from the 14th to 10th centuries BC contains 23% zinc. Knowledge of how to produce brass spread to Ancient Greece by the 7th century BC, but few varieties were made. Ornaments made of alloys containing 80–90% zinc, with lead, iron, antimony , and other metals making up
6308-593: Was isolated in Europe, it was imported from India in about 1600 CE. Postlewayt 's Universal Dictionary , a contemporary source giving technological information in Europe, did not mention zinc before 1751 but the element was studied before then. Flemish metallurgist and alchemist P. M. de Respour reported that he had extracted metallic zinc from zinc oxide in 1668. By the start of the 18th century, Étienne François Geoffroy described how zinc oxide condenses as yellow crystals on bars of iron placed above zinc ore that
6391-477: Was known to the ancient Romans and Greeks. The mines of Rajasthan have given definite evidence of zinc production going back to the 6th century BC. The oldest evidence of pure zinc comes from Zawar, in Rajasthan, as early as the 9th century AD when a distillation process was employed to make pure zinc. Alchemists burned zinc in air to form what they called " philosopher's wool " or "white snow". The element
6474-470: Was placed in voluntary administration in September 2001 with its assets sold in stages until 2004 when the remaining assets were spun-off to Zinifex . Pasminco was established in 1988 when Conzinc Riotinto of Australia and North Broken Hill Peko merged their lead and zinc operations. In May 1998 the Emu Bay Railway , which hauled trains from Pasminco's zinc mine at Rosebery to Burnie ,
6557-786: Was probably named by the alchemist Paracelsus after the German word Zinke (prong, tooth). German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf is credited with discovering pure metallic zinc in 1746. Work by Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta uncovered the electrochemical properties of zinc by 1800. Corrosion -resistant zinc plating of iron ( hot-dip galvanizing ) is the major application for zinc. Other applications are in electrical batteries , small non-structural castings, and alloys such as brass. A variety of zinc compounds are commonly used, such as zinc carbonate and zinc gluconate (as dietary supplements), zinc chloride (in deodorants), zinc pyrithione (anti- dandruff shampoos), zinc sulfide (in luminescent paints), and dimethylzinc or diethylzinc in
6640-421: Was reported with more evidence that had the oxidation state of +3 with the formula ZnBeB 11 (CN) 12 . Zinc chemistry is similar to the chemistry of the late first-row transition metals, nickel and copper, though it has a filled d-shell and compounds are diamagnetic and mostly colorless. The ionic radii of zinc and magnesium happen to be nearly identical. Because of this some of the equivalent salts have
6723-730: Was sold to Australian Transport Network . On 19 September 2001, Pasminco was placed in voluntary administration due to a combination of low commodities prices, high debt servicing costs, the adverse impact of a weak Australian dollar on its currency hedging position and a failure to secure appropriate financial accommodation from its financiers. In March 2002, its Broken Hill mining operations were sold to Perilya. Remaining assets including mines in Mount Isa and Rosebery , and smelters in Budel (The Netherlands), Clarkesville (United States), Hobart and Port Pirie , were spun-off to
6806-539: Was used as early as the third millennium BC in the Aegean area and the region which currently includes Iraq , the United Arab Emirates , Kalmykia , Turkmenistan and Georgia . In the second millennium BC it was used in the regions currently including West India , Uzbekistan , Iran , Syria , Iraq, and Israel . Zinc metal was not produced on a large scale until the 12th century in India, though it
6889-507: Was used through 1851. German chemist Andreas Marggraf normally gets credit for isolating pure metallic zinc in the West, even though Swedish chemist Anton von Swab had distilled zinc from calamine four years previously. In his 1746 experiment, Marggraf heated a mixture of calamine and charcoal in a closed vessel without copper to obtain a metal. This procedure became commercially practical by 1752. William Champion's brother, John, patented
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