Zinc
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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]
Commercial Methods of Production
Sulphate Source
- 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
Zinc Oxide Source
- This is a much simpler pathway
- ESPECIALLY if pure zinc oxide (Such as from recycling of Sacrificial Anodes and/or Zinc Air Batteries
- Smelting
DIY
Non-Zinc Oxide Sources
- 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]
- Casting zinc rings - nice and clean just using pennies on a spoon + mold - [6]
- Melting zinc, with mini foundry - [7]
- Melting pennies on a stove is messy - [8]
Zinc Oxide Sources
- The simpler method, althoug availability may be more of an issue
- Smelting