The various steps involved in zinc extraction are :

(1) Concentration of ore
Zinc blende is crushed first to eliminate impurities from the ore, and then froth flotation is used to concentrate the ore.

(2) Conversion to oxide (Roasting)
In this phase, ZnS is roasted in a furnace with plenty of air at a temperature below zinc’s melting point. Zinc oxide is formed as a result of this process.

2ZnS + 3O₂ ⇒ 2ZnO + 2SO₂

(3) Extraction of Zn from ZnO (Reduction):
Zinc oxide is combined with powdered coke and heated to extract the metal.

ZnO + C ⇒ Zn + CO

(4) Electrolytic Refining:
The anode in this process is impure zinc, whereas the cathode is a pure copper strip. The electrolyte is a dilute sulfuric acid-zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄) acidic solution. Pure zinc accumulates on the copper strip when a current is sent across it.