Alchemists associated this beautiful red metal with Venus. This may be due to the fact that early mirrors were made from copper. It was one of the first metals worked by mankind together with gold, silver and tin and has been in use for the last 9000 years.

Zinc has been in use since ancient times to produce brass. It was known in the 3rd millenium B.C. by the Babylonian and the Assyrian cultures. The advantages of this metal were consequently discovered by Europeans in the 17th century. Due to it's resistance to corrosion zinc has gained a high profile in roof drainage components. It is also easily recycled.