A Critical Review on Generation,
Characteristics, and Utilization of Zinc
Slag
Yan Song, Weiguo Wu, Liang Xu, Xiangqiang Chen and Ge Zhang
Abstract Zinc slag (including zinc smelting slag and zinc leach residue) belongs to
solid waste from the zinc pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical industry. Generated by the pyrometallurgical process, zinc smelting slag contains a high content of
zinc, lead, and cobalt as secondary resource. And zinc leach residue, generated in the
zinc hydrometallurgical process, usually contains zinc, germanium, and indium. The
large amount of zinc slag discharge causes environmental pollution and resource
waste. Reducing the toxicity and increasing utilization of zinc slag are important
measures to solve the negative impact of zinc slag on the environment. The review
focuses on the utilization of zinc slag. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical
methods for metal recovery are summarized. The utilization of zinc slag in construction materials is also discussed. Eventually, the related technological challenges and
their possible solutions are described and discussed.
Keywords Zinc slag · Metal recovery · Utilization · Construction materials ·
Technological challenges
Introduction
Zinc is a versatile and strategically important metal resource for the industrial development and global economy. It is intrinsically associated with galvanizing, zinc alloy,
and instrument battery [1–3]. From the consumption perspective, zinc products are
widely used in the fields of automotive, household appliances, construction, and
infrastructure. The global and Chinese zinc terminal consumptions are shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, respectively [4, 5]. Global zinc consumption exceeds 13 million tons
annually. And the global zinc demand is predicted to continuously increase in the
coming years [6]. As shown in Fig. 3, the global refined zinc production is out of
Y. Song (B) · W. Wu · L. Xu · X. Chen · G. Zhang
China ENFI Engineering Corporation, 12 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100038,
People’s Republic of China
e-mail: SONGYANNEU@139.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_23
275
Characteristics, and Utilization of Zinc
Slag
Yan Song, Weiguo Wu, Liang Xu, Xiangqiang Chen and Ge Zhang
Abstract Zinc slag (including zinc smelting slag and zinc leach residue) belongs to
solid waste from the zinc pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical industry. Generated by the pyrometallurgical process, zinc smelting slag contains a high content of
zinc, lead, and cobalt as secondary resource. And zinc leach residue, generated in the
zinc hydrometallurgical process, usually contains zinc, germanium, and indium. The
large amount of zinc slag discharge causes environmental pollution and resource
waste. Reducing the toxicity and increasing utilization of zinc slag are important
measures to solve the negative impact of zinc slag on the environment. The review
focuses on the utilization of zinc slag. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical
methods for metal recovery are summarized. The utilization of zinc slag in construction materials is also discussed. Eventually, the related technological challenges and
their possible solutions are described and discussed.
Keywords Zinc slag · Metal recovery · Utilization · Construction materials ·
Technological challenges
Introduction
Zinc is a versatile and strategically important metal resource for the industrial development and global economy. It is intrinsically associated with galvanizing, zinc alloy,
and instrument battery [1–3]. From the consumption perspective, zinc products are
widely used in the fields of automotive, household appliances, construction, and
infrastructure. The global and Chinese zinc terminal consumptions are shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, respectively [4, 5]. Global zinc consumption exceeds 13 million tons
annually. And the global zinc demand is predicted to continuously increase in the
coming years [6]. As shown in Fig. 3, the global refined zinc production is out of
Y. Song (B) · W. Wu · L. Xu · X. Chen · G. Zhang
China ENFI Engineering Corporation, 12 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100038,
People’s Republic of China
e-mail: SONGYANNEU@139.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_23
275