Bluish-white hard metal, occurring in various minerals, such as sphalerite (a zinc sulphide mineral, the most common ore mineral of zinc). Zinc uses range from metal products to rubber and medicines. About three-fourths of zinc used is consumed as metal, mainly as a coating to protect iron and steel from corrosion (galvanized metal), as alloying metal to make bronze and brass, as zinc-based die casting alloy, and as rolled zinc. The remaining one-fourth is consumed as zinc compounds mainly by the rubber, chemical, paint, and agricultural industries.

Iron & Steel Industry Operating Statistics