Normand Raboin, age l4, of West Warwick, R.I: for his question:

Where is zinc found?

Zinc is an element, which means that its atoms are all alike. The dull and bluish white metal occupies the slot with atomic number 30 on the Periodic Table. In nature it is never found in its pure state. It is mixed with other elements, and most of these ores are compounds of zinc with sulphur, carbon or oxygen. Zinc ores are fairly plentiful and there are sizable. deposits in most countries of the world.

Some ores are richer than others, and some countries are more skilled at mining and refining zinc. The United states produces 457,700 tons a year, which is a world record. Canada mines almost as much as America. and so does Russia. Australia is the fourth largest zinc producing country. British Columbia is the biggest zinc region of North America. It produces some 200,000 tons a year, which is more than twice as much as Tennessee  the largest zinc producing state of the U.S.