Zinc oxide occurs in nature as mineral zincite. It is the most
important zinc compound and has numerous industrial applications.
Zinc oxide is the pigment in white paints. It is used to make
enamels, white printing inks, white glue, opaque glasses, rubber
products and floor tiles. It is used in cosmetics, soaps,
pharmaceuticals, dental cements, storage batteries, electrical
equipment, and piezoelectric devices. Other applications are as a
flame retardant, as a UV absorber in plastics, and a reagent in
analytical chemistry. A major application of zinc oxide is in the
preparation of most zinc salts. In medicine, the compound is used
as an antiseptic, an astringent and a topical protectant.
