Zinc

**Symbol:** Zn

**Atomic number:** 30

**International title:** zincum

**Relative Atomic Weight:** 65,38

**Information:** Zinc is a soft, shiny silver white metal. It is steady in the air, covered with an oxide layer that protects it (passivation of metal).

**Use:** Zinc is used to galvanize sheets and to produce alloys (e.g. brass Cu+Zn).

**Occurrence:** Zinc is relatively well present in earth's crust. Among its most important minerals are the sphalerite or zinc ZnS.

**Structure:** Zinc crystallizes into a hexagonal (primitive basic cell).