Global zinc production relies heavily on zinc blende processing. Over 95% of the world's zinc is produced from this mineral source. Before metallic zinc can be recovered through hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical methods, the sulfur present in the concentrate must be eliminated. This is done by heating zinc sulfide (ZnS) at high temperatures, turning it into the more active zinc oxide (ZnO).

The sulfur dioxide obtained during this process is then converted into sulfuric acid. However, the iron sulfide in the ore causes issues, as it changes into zinc ferrite (ZnO·Fe₂O₃) when reacting with zinc oxide. To ensure high-quality zinc production, the dissolved solution undergoes purification stages prior to electrolysis.

This Process Application Note details the online analysis of key parameters like zinc, sulfuric acid, and iron content. The 2060 TI Process Analyzer from Metrohm Process Analytics offers precise and efficient measurements, cutting down on time, labor, and human errors.