Indians were the first to develop the technology to smelt Zinc in the 12th century. Zinc got its name from the German word ‘zinke’ which means pointed. The term might be related to the sharp, pointed crystals that are formed from smelting zinc.
In 1746, German chemist Andreas Marggraf figured out a way to isolate zinc by heating carbon and calamine (which makes calamine lotion). He reported his finding in great detail, which earned him the credit for discovering zinc. But much before his report, several other European researchers had already discovered zinc. William Champion, an English metallurgist, even had the patent for the process long before.
Zinc is a white powder that is used in everything from sunscreens to solar cells and nuclear reactors. It helps prevent corrosion in many items. Zinc is also an important element in health. It is essential to keep the body’s enzymes functioning well. The deficiency of zinc can slow growth and affect the immune system. Sometimes zinc deficiency can cause abnormalities in smell and taste as the metal is critical to these functions.
Zinc has the atomic number of 30.
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