The zinc industry has been in the forefront of hydrometallurgical developments for almost a century. The development of pressure leaching in the 1980s and the development of atmospheric direct leaching in the 1990s for treating zinc-sulphide concentrates have resulted in a number of zinc-refinery expansions without an increase in roasting capacity. Likewise, solvent extraction techniques are now used for the hydrometallurgical treatment of zinc-oxide ores on an industrial scale. The treatment of poor and complex zinc-sulphide resources has been extensively studied using processes as diverse as pyrolusite leaching and heap bioleaching. Finally, the precipitation of relatively pure zinc oxide at the mine site, a process that has been proven to be technically feasible very recently, may significantly change the paradigm of primary zinc production.
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