This article presents the history of zinc, its production and demand. The quantity of zinc production, both primary zinc from ores and concentrates, and secondary zinc from scrap and zinc-rich waste, was discussed. A comprehensive economic analysis covers zinc prices in the years 1960–2021. The basic methods of obtaining zinc from ores, including pyrometallurgical (Imperial Smelting Process ISP, Kivcet, Ausmelt) and hydrometallurgical (roasting–leaching–electrowinning RLE, atmospheric direct leaching ADL, Engitec Zinc Extraction EZINEX, zinc pressure leach) and their short characteristics, are presented. The global zinc market and the main areas of its application were analyzed. Technologies used for the recovery of zinc from scrap are discussed along with their characteristics. Galvanized steel is the main source of secondary zinc, both in the galvanizing process and in the remelting of galvanized steel. It can be easily recycled with other scrap steel in the electric arc furnace (EAF) for steel production. Currently, with high volatility in the price of zinc, as well as its natural resources in the earth’s crust, recycling is an important activity, despite the fact that zinc concentrates have a relatively constant chemical composition, while the resulting zinc waste contains zinc in varying amounts.

Obtaining zinc coatings by the batch hot-dip galvanizing process currently represents one of the most effective and economical methods of protecting steel products and structures against corrosion. The batch hot-dip galvanizing process has been used for over 150 years, but for several decades, there has been a dynamic development of this technology, the purpose of which is to improve the efficiency of zinc use and reduce its consumption and improve the quality of the coating. The appropriate selection of the chemical composition of the galvanizing bath enables us to control the reactivity of steel, improve the drainage of liquid zinc from the product surface, and reduce the amount of waste, which directly affects the quality of the coating and the technology of the galvanizing process. For this purpose, the effect of many alloying additives to the zinc bath on the structure and thickness of the coating was tested. The article reviews the influence of various elements introduced into the bath individually and in different configurations, discusses the positive and negative effects of their influence on the galvanizing process. The current development in the field of the chemical composition of galvanizing baths is also presented and the best-used solutions for the selection and management of the chemical composition of the bath are indicated.

The refining process is one of the essential stages of aluminum production. Its main aim is to remove hydrogen, that causes porosity and weakens the mechanical and physical properties of casting aluminum. The process is mainly conducted by purging inert gas through the liquid metal, using rotary impellers. The geometry of the impellers and the processing parameters, such as flow rate of gas and rotary impeller speed, influence the gas dispersion level, and therefore the efficiency of the process. Improving the process, and optimization of parameters, can be done by physical modelling. In this paper, the research was carried out with the use of a water model of batch reactor, testing three different rotary impellers. Varied methods were used: visualization, which can help to evaluate the level of dispersion of gas bubbles in liquid metal; determination of residence time distribution (RTD) curves, which was obtained by measuring the conductivity of NaCl tracer in the fluid; and indirect studies, completed by measuring the content of dissolved oxygen in water to simulate hydrogen desorption. The research was carried out for different processing parameters, such as flow rate of refining gas (5–25 L·min⁻¹) and rotary impeller speed (3.33–8.33 s⁻¹). The obtained results were presented graphically and discussed in detail.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) can be an important source of non-ferrous metals (Al, Sn, Zn, and Ni) and precious metals (Au, Ag, Cu, and Pd). With the continuous increase in demand for metals due to the depletion of ores, recycling of this waste is becoming an attractive alternative. The printed circuits also contain hazardous metals, such as Pb, Hg, As, and Cd. Due to the huge increase in the amount of e-waste, the processing of printed circuit boards for metal recovery and proper handling of hazardous substances has a positive effect on the environment. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods are used for the treatment of this waste. Various oxidizing agents are used in the hydrometallurgical processes, including ozone. PCBs from mobile phones were assessed for the recovery of Cu, Sn, and precious metals. The ground and sieved materials were leached in nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid at various process parameters, such as leaching time, leaching agent, and temperature. It was found that the best result was obtained using hydrochloric acid with the addition of ozone at 353 K for a period of 4 h to obtain 68.45 g/dm³ of copper. Preliminary results of electrolysis and cementation are also presented.

This paper deals with the possibilities of using physical modelling to study the slag entrainment in the tundish. A level of steel in the tundish is changing during sequential continuous casting. The most significant decrease in the steel level occurs when replacing ladles. It is generally known that if the height of steel level in the tundish drops below a certain critical level, it may generate vortexes over the nozzles and as a consequence entrainment of tundish slag into individual casting strands can occur. Thus, it is necessary to identify the critical level of steel for specific operational conditions. In this paper, the development of physical modelling methodology is described as well as physical model corresponding to operational continuous casting machine No. 2 in Třinecké železárny, a.s. The obtained results are discussed.