How to tell Zinc

[ETG]

How do you tell if you got zinc in your smelt? There has been some thicker clumpy stuff on top. I have skimmed it off. When I put it in my casing pot there is still some forming on the top. If I reduce the heat will any zinc come to the top? This is wheel weights - 50/50 clipon/stickon.

[docone31]

I put zinc in my melt. I run the heat on high, and it all works out.
Heat is the secret. If you want to fine out more zinc, crank it up, then let it cool. The zinc will come to the top for the most part.
I can understant where your concerns are. I just melted down wheel weights, this time, I threw away 1/2 of them. I do keep the zinc ones, but the steelies go to the curb.
When I paper patch, I use 50/50 wheel weight, zinc.
So far, I have gotten good results.

[Gunslinger]

If the temperature in your pot has been too hot and the zinc has melted, you can recognize it by an oatmeal kind of substance on top of your smelt. This has only happened to me once but if you have a little experience in smelting you quickly realize that something is off. You just need to skim and stir and flux until it's gone.