A SHORT HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF ZINC

Zinc has been in use since ancient times even though it was never as widespread as other metals such as Iron, Copper, Lead or even Silver and Gold.

Ancient metallurgists trained in the refining and fabrication of metals knew very well the properties of Copper to make an alloy with other metals. Among these metals was Zinc, even though it had not been recognized as a metal yet. This is confirmed by analyses made on bronze and brass decorative objects, weapons and utensils from 1150 BC.
Information regarding the manufacturing of Zinc goes back at least a couple of centuries before Christ with the discovery of a metal plate found in the Acropolis in Greece and containing 98.5% Zinc. 

It is likely that around the year 1000 AD, the Chinese were able to exploit Zinc white even though production was very limited. 
The first European to classify Zinc as a metal was Paracelsus, in the XVI century, who also named it. 

The first Zinc foundry was built in 1743, but production on an industrial scale started during the XIX century.