American Association of State

Designation: B 6 – 08 Highway and Transportation

Officials Standard
AASHTO No: M120-77

Standard Specification for

Zinc1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 6; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope* (CGG) Zinc Alloys for Hot-Dip Galvanizing of Sheet Steel

1.1 This specification covers zinc metal made from ore or B 897 Specification for the Configuration of Zinc and Zinc
other material by a process of distillation or by electrolysis in Alloy Jumbo and Block Ingot
five grades as follows: B 899 Terminology Relating to Non-ferrous Metals and
1.1.1 LME Grade Alloys
1.1.2 Special High Grade B 914 Practice for Color Codes on Zinc and Zinc Alloy
1.1.3 High Grade Ingot for Use in Hot-Dip Galvanizing of Steel
1.1.4 Intermediate Grade E 29 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to
1.1.5 Prime Western Grade Determine Conformance with Specifications
E 47 Test Methods for Chemical Analysis of Zinc Die-
NOTE 1—Certain continuous galvanizing grades are specified in Speci- Casting Alloys3
fication B 852. Other continuous galvanizing and controlled lead grades
E 88 Practice for Sampling Nonferrous Metals and Alloys
are not included in this specification but are covered by specific user
purchasing specifications. in Cast Form for Determination of Chemical Composition
E 527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the
1.2 This specification does not cover zinc produced by Unified Numbering System (UNS)
“sweating” or remelting of secondary zinc. E 536 Test Methods for Chemical Analysis of Zinc and Zinc
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded Alloys
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical 2.3 ISO Standards:4
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only ISO 3815-1 Zinc and zinc alloys — Part 1: Analysis of solid
and are not considered standard. samples by optical emission spectrometry
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the ISO 3815-2 Zinc and zinc alloys — Part 2: Analysis by
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry
responsibility of the user of this standard to become familiar
with all hazards including those identified in the appropriate 3. Terminology
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for this product/material 3.1 Terms shall be defined in accordance with Terminology
as provided by the manufacturer, to establish appropriate B 899.
safety and health practices, and determine the applicability of 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
regulatory limitations prior to use. 3.2.1 LME Grade, n—a grade of zinc containing a mini-
2. Referenced Documents mum of 99.995 % zinc, with controlled impurity levels, as
specified in Table 1.
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on the 3.2.2 Special High Grade, n—a high purity grade of zinc
date of material purchase form a part of this specification to the containing a minimum of 99.990 % zinc, with controlled
extent referenced herein. impurity levels, as specified in Table 1.
2.2 ASTM Standards:2 3.2.3 High Grade, n—a grade of zinc containing a mini-
B 852 Specification for Continuous Galvanizing Grade mum of 99.95 % zinc, with controlled impurity levels, as
specified in Table 1.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B02 on 3.2.4 Intermediate Grade, n—a grade of zinc containing a
Nonferrous Metals and Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee minimum of 99.5 % zinc, with controlled impurity levels, as
B02.04 on Zinc and Cadmium. specified in Table 1.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2008. Published December 2008. Originally
approved in 1911. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as B 6 – 07.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
3
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Withdrawn.
4
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
the ASTM website. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

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 B 6 – 08
TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements
NOTE 1—The following applies to all specified limits in this table: For purposes of determining conformance with this specification, an observed value
obtained from analysis shall be rounded off “to the nearest unit” in the last right-hand place of figures used in expressing the limiting value, in accordance
with the rounding method of Practice E 29.
Composition,%
Grade Alumi- Total
Color Iron Cadmium Copper Tin Zinc, min
[UNS]A Lead num Non-Zinc
CodeB max max max max by difference
max max
LME Grade White 0.003 max 0.002 0.003 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.005 99.995
(LME) [Z12002]
Special High GradeC Yellow 0.003 max 0.003 0.003 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.010 99.990
(SHG) [Z13001]
High Grade Green 0.03 max 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.002 0.001 0.05 99.95
(HG) [Z14002]
Intermediate Grade Blue 0.45 max 0.05 0.01 0.01 0.20 ... 0.5 99.5
(IG) [Z16003]
Prime Western Grade Black 0.5–1.4 0.05 0.20 0.01 0.10 ... 1.5 98.5
(PWG) [Z18004]
A
UNS designations were established in accordance with Practice E 527.
B
Refer to Practice B 914.
C
For London Metal Exchange (LME) purposes, Special High Grade zinc must be 99.995 % minimum zinc content by difference, corresponding to LME Grade in ASTM
Specification B 6.

3.2.5 Prime Western Grade, n—a grade of zinc containing 9. Sampling for Chemical Analysis
0.5 to 1.4 % lead, a minimum of 98.5 % zinc, with controlled 9.1 The producer may obtain representative samples from
impurity levels, as specified in Table 1. the molten metal during casting, and all or part of these
3.3 Abbreviations: samples may be cast into shapes suitable for use in spectro-
3.3.1 LME—LME Grade Zinc chemical methods.
3.3.2 SHG—Special High Grade Zinc 9.2 If the zinc is in the form of standard slabs at the
3.3.3 HG—High Grade Zinc customer’s plant, the sample for chemical analysis shall be
3.3.4 IG—Intermediate Grade Zinc taken in accordance with 9.2.1-9.2.5, inclusive.
3.3.5 PWG—Prime Western Grade Zinc 9.2.1 Selection of Portion—A portion representative of the
total shipment or order shall be selected at random for the final
4. Ordering Information sample. The portion preferably shall be taken during loading or
4.1 Orders for zinc metal under this specification shall unloading. From lots containing at least 60 000 lb (27 300 kg)
include the following information: of zinc, one slab shall be taken from every 10 000 lb (4530 kg).
4.1.1 ASTM designation and year of issue, From smaller lots, five slabs shall be taken.
4.1.2 Quantity (weight), 9.2.2 Preparation of Sample—Each slab shall be cleaned
4.1.3 Name of material (zinc metal), thoroughly to rid the surface of extraneous material and drilled
4.1.4 Size (see Section 7), and or sawed, without lubricant in accordance with 9.2.3 or 9.2.4.
4.1.5 Grade (see Table 1). The drillings or sawings shall be subjected to the action of a
strong magnet to remove any adventitious iron with which the
5. Materials and Manufacture sample may have become contaminated from the drill or saw.
5.1 The manufacturer shall use care to have each lot of zinc NOTE 2—Sampling by sawing is not recommended for Special High
metal be as uniform in quality as possible. Grade zinc because complete removal of the final traces of adventitious
iron from sawings is difficult.
6. Chemical Composition
9.2.3 Drilling—Two holes shall be drilled, preferably from
6.1 The zinc metal shall conform to the requirements the bottom or brand side of each slab, at two points located
prescribed in Table 1. along one diagonal of the slab so that each point is halfway
between the center and one extremity of the diagonal. If two
7. Sizes and Shapes
holes from each slab do not yield the weight of sample
7.1 Slabs varying in weight from 40 to 60 lb (18 to 27 kg) prescribed in 9.2.5, a third hole shall be drilled at the center of
are all considered standard slabs. each slab. Each hole shall be bored completely through the
7.2 Zinc metal may be ordered in jumbos or blocks, as slab, care being taken to avoid starting the drill in a depression
specified in Specification B 897. and to adjust the feed to give drillings 0.010 to 0.020 in. (0.25
7.3 Zinc metal may also be ordered in anodes or other to 0.51 mm) in thickness. The drill used preferably shall be one
shapes. twisted from flat stock. The diameter of the drill shall be 1⁄2 in.
(12.7 mm) for Special High Grade zinc, and shall be 5⁄16 in. (7.9
8. Appearance mm) for other grades of zinc. The drillings shall be broken or
8.1 The zinc metal shall be reasonably free of surface cut with clean shears into pieces not over 1⁄2 in. in length and
corrosion and adhering foreign matter. mixed thoroughly.

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 B 6 – 08
9.2.4 Sawing—Using, preferably, a heat treated high-speed 11.1.1 Analysis of Car Lots—No claims shall be considered
steel saw, make two cuts completely across and through the unless the minimum samples as specified in 9.2.1 can be shown
slab from one long side to the other. Each cut shall be to such representative.
approximately halfway between the center and each end. The 11.1.2 Physical Defects of Individual Pieces—No claims
width of the saw cut shall be sufficient to give the weight of shall be considered unless the zinc metal in question, unused,
sample prescribed in 9.2.5, and cuttings from all the slabs shall can be shown to such representative.
be mixed thoroughly to form a uniform sample. 11.1.3 When the zinc metal satisfies the chemical and
9.2.5 Size of Sample and Storage—The prepared sample physical requirements of this specification, it shall not be
shall weigh at least 1600 g for Special High Grade zinc, and at condemned for defects in manufacturing, for defects of alloys
least 300 g for other grades of zinc. The properly mixed sample in which it is used, or for defects in the coating of zinc-coated
shall be split into three equal parts, each of which shall be products.
placed in a sealed package, one for the manufacturer, one for
the purchaser, and one for a referee, if necessary. Tight, 12. Investigation of Claims
leak-proof, paper sample envelopes or cardboard cartons may 12.1 The inspector representing the manufacturer shall ex-
be used to hold the sample. amine all pieces where physical defects are claimed. If agree-
9.3 If the zinc is in shapes other than standard slabs, the ment is not reached, the question of fact shall be submitted to
sampling procedure shall be agreed upon between the manu- a mutually agreeable referee, whose decision shall be final.
facturer or seller and the purchaser. 12.2 On a question of metal contents, a sample shall be
9.4 Aspects of sampling and sample preparation not covered drawn in the presence of representatives of both the manufac-
specifically in this specification shall be carried out in accor- turer and the purchaser as described in Section 8. The manu-
dance with Practice E 88. facturer and the purchaser shall each make an analysis, and if
the results do not establish or dismiss the claim to the
10. Methods of Chemical Analysis satisfaction of both parties, the third sample shall be submitted
10.1 The chemical compositions enumerated in this speci- to a mutually agreeable referee, who shall determine the
fication shall, in case of disagreement, be determined by question of quality, and whose determination shall be final.
methods mutually agreed upon. Preferably the method should
13. Settlement of Claims
be chosen from the ASTM methods listed in Table 2 approved
for referee purposes, or, ISO 3815-1 or ISO 3815-2. Note Test 13.1 The expenses of the manufacturer’s representative and
Methods E 47 is for tin only. of the referee shall be paid by the loser or divided in proportion
to concession made in case of compromise. In case of rejection
11. Claims being established, maximum damages shall be limited to the
11.1 Claims to be considered shall be made in writing to the payment of freight both ways by the manufacturer for substi-
manufacturer within 30 days of receipt of material at the tution of an equivalent weight of zinc metal conforming to this
purchaser’s plant and the results of the purchaser’s tests shall specification.
be given. The manufacturer shall be given one (1) week from 14. Product Marking
date of receipt of such claim to investigate his records and then
shall agree either to satisfy the claim or send a representative 14.1 A brand, by which the manufacturer can be identified,
to the plant of the purchaser. shall be cast or die stamped in each slab, block, or ingot.
14.2 Each ingot, bundle, or skid shall be marked with the
TABLE 2 Methods of Analysis appropriate Color Code for that zinc grade per the requirements
in Practice B 914.
ASTM
Method
Designation
15. Keywords
Chemical analysis (for tin) E 47
Chemical analysis E 536 15.1 high grade zinc; prime western zinc; special high grade
zinc; zinc; zinc metal

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 B 6 – 08
SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee B02 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (B 6 - 07)
that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved November 1, 2008.)

(1) Revisions have been made to Sections 2.3 and 10.1 to add
analytical spectrochemical methods ISO 3815-1 and
ISO 3815-2.

Committee B02 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (B 6 - 06)
that may impact the use of this standard. (Approved May 1, 2007.)

(1) A reference to Specification B 897 to specify the size and

configuration of jumbo and block ingots was added.

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