Physical properties
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 ironand

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Reactivity
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 tarnishesquickly, eventually forming a

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Ancient use
The Charaka Samhita, thought to have been written between 300 and 500 AD, mentions a metal which, when oxidized, produces pushpanjan, thought to be zinc oxide. Zinc mines at Zawar, near Udaipurin India, have been active

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Major applications of zinc include (numbers are given for the US)
1. Galvanizing (55%)
2. Brass and bronze (16%)

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Zinc is an essential trace element for humans and other animals, for plants and for microorganisms. Zinc is required for the function of over 300 enzymes and 1000 transcription factors, and is stored and transferred in metallothioneins. It is the second most abundant

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Toxicity
Although zinc is an essential requirement for good health, excess zinc can be harmful. Excessive

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Mining and processing
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

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