I remember when I was a boy my dad showing me a galvanized nail. He told me it had a zinc coating to protect against rust. About half of all the zinc mined today is used for galvanization. Perhaps better known is the alloy brass which is a mixture of copper and zinc. Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, can include a little zinc in the mix. A large number of specialized industrial alloys contain a small percentage of zinc.

Zinc is an essential nutrient. You need 10-15 milligrams per day. In well-fed areas we get plenty from our diet. Zinc deficiency is a serious problem in malnourished regions.

Zinc makes a good anode and is used in alkaline batteries as well as the older zinc-carbon cells. Batteries are crucially important in the transition to renewable energy. We are going to need all kinds of batteries.

Worldwide about 13 million tonnes of zinc are produced annually. Only three other metals are produced in greater numbers—iron, aluminum, and copper. Zinc mining and smelting are very messy processes and the environmental and public health impacts are big. Lead and cadmium are often found along with zinc and both are considered toxic heavy metals.

Teck Resources Limited is a Canadian mining company. They own Red Dog in Alaska which is one of the largest zinc operations in the world. Here’s a picture:

It’s pretty far away. Here’s a rough map so you can get the idea: