Zinc: a chemical element with symbol Zn and atomic number 30; a bluish-white, lustruous metal, brittle at most temperatures; melting point 420°C, boiling point 908°C; it burns with a bluish-green flame, is moderately reactive and tarnishes quickly. Impure zinc together with copper was used to make the alloy called brass as early as 14th century BC. Later, alchemists burned zinc metal and collected the resulting zinc oxide, calling it lana philosophica (“philosopher’s wool”) or sometimes nix album because of its woollen or snow-like texture.
Zinc oxide is used as a white pigment.
Zinc sulfate produces another white pigment, lithopone, while zinc sulfide is used to make luminescent pigments.
Zinc chromate makes a yellow pigment, which however deteriorates into brownish.
Zinc is an essential trace element in animals and humans, functional in the cells of the brain, nerves, muscles, bones, kidney, liver, eyes and reproductive parts.