Melting point carbon family elements

Elemental zinc was officially discovered in Enrope in 1746 when calamine (zinc silicate) was rednced with charcoal to produce the metal. However, zinc had been used for many hundreds of years before tMs discovery because zinc ores and copper ores were used to form copper-zinc brass alloys. The main sources of zinc are ores composed of sphalerite (ZnS), smithsonite (ZnC03>, and an oxide mixture of zinc, iron, and manganese called franklinite. These ores are roasted to form the oxides of the metals and then reduced with carbon to produce the elemental metals. Zinc combines with many different metals to form useful alloys. As we have seen, the combination of zinc and copper produces the brass family of alloys. The combination of zinc and nickel with copper produces alloys with a silver color called German or silver brass. Zinc is also used in solder alloys with low melting points. 

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