Hot galvanized steel consists of a steel object that has been coated with zinc in a process known as hot dip galvanizing. This galvanizing process creates a permanent bond between the steel and the zinc, and gives the object enhanced qualities that it would not have without the zinc coating. Hot galvanized steel has a grainy, crystallized appearance that is quite different from the darker finish of non-galvanized steel. To make hot galvanized steel, the steel object must be thoroughly cleaned to remove all grease and dirt that could interfere with the galvanizing process. Next, the object is dipped in a pool of molten zinc, or passed under a spray of molten zinc. The oxygen within the steel reacts with

The mining industry requires a significant investment in infrastructure to be as efficient and as productive as possible. This is where galvanized steel plays a critical role, reports Simon Norton, Manager, Africa Desk of the International Zinc Association. Essential infrastructure in the mining industry ranges from steel shaft structures (buntons, station steelwork, headgear) to stope structures (roof supports, pipe hangers), haulway structures (ore transfer stations, electrical stubbies) as well as surface structures (plant buildings, tank supports, pipe gantries, conveyor belts, stacks, stockpile structures, stairways, railings). Maintenance of structural components can often be difficult because of the environment of exposure (including those where corrosive process plant fumes persist) or limited access (such as in shafts where access is limited to short