Zinc ingot is a white or gray color pure zinc metal, which is cast into a block or bar that is suitable for further processing of metal. The zinc ingot is produced using solid-state, crystallization, and ultra-high purification processes including sublimation.
Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a silvery-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 Zn2+ and Mg2+ ions are of similar size.
Zinc is the fourth most common metal in use, trailing only iron, aluminium, and copper with an annual production of about 13 million tons. 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 is known as Special High Grade, often abbreviated SHG, and is 99.995% pure.
Uses and Application
Zinc oxide is widely used in the manufacture of very many products such as paints, rubber, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics, inks, soaps, batteries, textiles and electrical equipment.
Galvanizing: Steel products are zinc coated in a galvanizing process to make them resistant against corrosion. The steel products that are galvanized are many, from steel furniture, buildings, and automobiles to household appliances.
Zinc Oxide: Zinc oxide is a zinc compound that finds use in vulcanization of a wide range of products, for instance paint, ceramics and rubber.
Die Castings: Zinc die cast alloy finds use in several electronic components, hardware fittings, electrical equipment, etc.
Alloys: Zinc and copper are used in making an alloy called brass.
Industries: The high strength, pure and highly malleable zinc ingots are used in several industrial sectors from chemical, rubber, automobile, battery to furniture.
Indian Market
The prices, which have increased 18 per cent since the beginning of this month topping $3,500 a tons, have gained on the heels of one of world’s leading metals group Nyrstar announcing that it will cut its production by 50 per cent at its three European smelters. Prices are expected to rule firm until the power crisis is resolved.
The rising demand for zinc ingots in the hot-dip galvanization steel will fuel the market growth. In the process of hot-dip galvanization, the steel objects are dipped in pool of the molten zinc ingots, so that the melted zinc ingots can be applied to all exposed surface of steel.
This result in providing high strength to galvanized steel and also protect him from corrosion. Furthermore zinc ingots are also used in the battery production, where they create a chemical reaction with dry cell battery in a metal housing, which results in voltage potential between to connections. Hence, the rising demand for zinc ingots from these applications will propel the market growth.
Industry Major Market Players:
1. Roto Metals
2. Pushpa International
3. Exporters India
4. Hindustan Zinc
5. Nyrstar
6. Industrial Metal Supply Co.
7. Adwameg Inc.
8. Phoenix Industries Ltd.
9. Siyaram Impex Pvt. Ltd.
10. Shree Metal Industries.
11. Focus Technology Co.
12. Ltd.
13. S.C Kundu & Sons