What is Zinc Oxide ? Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a fine white powder. The first use of industrially manufactured zinc oxide was the production of white paints.

Three different processes are used for its manufacture - two thermal processes and a wet chemical process. One thermal process starts from metallic zinc, the other from oxidic zinc residues or ores. In both processes, zinc vapour is generated and burned to zinc oxide. In the wet process, zinc is leached from zinc containing raw materials and then precipitated as zinc hydroxide/-carbonate. The precipitate is calcinated to ZnO.

The main uses of zinc oxide are in rubber, ceramics, optical glass and paints. Zinc oxide is also a component of anticorrosive and antifouling paints.