Basics

An element with an atomic number of 30
Low melting temp metal (420C) which can be used for a stovetop foundry. See Stovetop Metal Casting.
It is very useful, especially for Cathodic Protection either as a sacrificial anode, or via Galvanization
Some batteries use zinc
Used in some alloys

Sourcing

USA pennies after 1982 are made from zinc, and weigh either 2.5 or 3.1 grams [1].
Zinc ingot - $3/lb. [2]
https://www.westmarine.com/zincs-anodes
1-2 Ton USA sourcing. [3]

Use Froth Floatation to seperate the zinc sulphates out
Then once isolated they are smelted producing sulphur dioxide and pure (ish) zinc
This supposedly produces quite a bit of nast stuff such ascadmium, copper, arsenic, antimony, cobalt, germanium, nickel, and thallium in the leach product. SO if done small scale WASTE MANAGMENT WILL BE A BIG ISSUE WITH THIS METHOD , unless puro zinc sulfide is used in which case a good water Wet Scrubber is all that is need, and the system would co-produce Sulphric Acid

This is a much simpler pathway
ESPECIALLY if pure zinc oxide (Such as from recycling of Sacrificial Anodes and/or Zinc Air Batteries
Smelting

Dripping a zince droplet from inside a penny - easy experiment with a torch and pennies. Dropping is nice and pure zinc. [4]

Not cost effective.
It is cost effective to use a small furnace with a steel mesh, so zinc drips out the bottom, and copper shells stay on top. - [5]