World-wide shortage of Zinc – Time for a rethink on Zinc.
Thursday, 10th February 2022
For the last few years MGDUFF has been advising customers “time for a re-think on Zinc”. Zinc has been the go-to anode material for as long as cathodic protection has been around. So common is its use that Americans simply call them ‘zincs.’
It was a cost-effective material that worked well in salt water. However, over the last 5 years the cost price of the SHG (special high grade) zinc required, has gone through the roof and today there is a world-wide shortage fuelling further price increases.
In the background aluminium alloy anodes have been working away protecting boats, pontons, harbours and many other marine structures. People in the “know” made the change some years ago moving away from zinc alloy anodes to aluminium alloy anodes.
These include household marine industry names such as Princess Yachts, Sunseeker International and the RNLI. Why? All along aluminium alloy anodes have been a better anode material, providing greater cathodic protection with a higher driving voltage, and size for size lasting up to 20% longer due to the higher amp/hour/kg rate.
The PAL (Primary Aluminium) used has increased in costs, but nowhere near zincs dramatic and on-going rise. We don’t need zinc as an anode material, aluminium more than covers the requirements.
Now really is the time to make the change. What`s the catch? No catch, and the icing on the cake is aluminium anodes are more environmentally friendly as they contain no cadmium as required in zinc anodes.
