Environment Impact of Extraction of Zinc from Sphalerite

Environment Impact

The  extraction of zinc from sphalerite will produce large amount of sulfur dioxide as well as cadmium vapour.

Sulfur dioxide is poisonous.  Residues from the process such as smelter slag also contain a significant amount of heavy metals, which is damaging to the environment. This affects the atmosphere greatly.

Furthermore, the soils contaminated with excess zinc due to the extraction process will also interfere will the soil’s ability to be able to absorb essential nutrients such as manganese and iron. In order words it will affect the plant ecosystem whereby the plants are not able to grow well and greatly influence the whole food web.

Sources: (Both this post on environment impact and the Process of Extraction of Zinc-Last Post)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Flue_gas_desulfurization