ZINC METAL

The Big River Zinc electro-refinery was, until the suspension of operations in March 2006, producing high quality zinc metal having a purity of 99.995%. 

 

In addition the operation produced a variety of alloys for galvanising. Metal was produced both as standard 25kg ingots and as large blocks weighing 1-2 tonnes.

 

Zinc metal powder is produced by blowing air into a stream of liquid zinc metal. This equi-granular and very reactive powder has several industrial uses. The Big River plant was one of the few electro-refineries capable of producing metal of the quality required to make powder suitable for use in dry cell batteries. This quality of metal was carefully alloyed with very small amounts of rare metals that impart special properties that are required by battery manufacturers. In order to produce these special alloys and to continue to develop new alloys with the properties that could meet the requirements of an ever changing market, Big River had a dedicated research department.  ZincOx intends to re-start production of zinc powder when zinc metal production resumes at Big River.