AbstractsEarth & Environmental Science

"Zinc Blende consists essentially of sulphur and zinc, and has the formula ZnS. When pure it contains 66.72% of zinc and 33.28% of sulphur. The ore usually contains varying amounts of iron, copper, and antimony as sulphides and also silica, lime, and magnesia...In order to treat zinc blende for spelter or metallic zinc, the ore must be treated in a roasting furnace. The roasting is for the purposes of driving off the sulphur and converting the zinc to oxide" – p. [2].