Zinc, in commerce also spelter, is a chemical element with symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element of group 12 of the periodic table. In some respects zinc is chemically similar to magnesium: its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The most common zinc ore is sphalerite (zinc blende), a zinc sulfide mineral. The largest mineable amounts are found in Australia, Asia, and the United States. Zinc production includes froth flotation of the ore, roasting, and final extraction using electricity (electrowinning).
Applying a coating of zinc to the surface of steel objects is a very widely used type of corrosion protection, called galvanizing. Zinc is effective for this purpose because zinc reduces iron. If a coating defect occurs in a galvanized part, the zinc corrodes rather than the underlying steel. Per Wikipedia's article "Zinc", over half of the zinc produced is used for this purpose.
Brasses are alloys of copper and zinc. (Some brass alloys contain other elements.) Zinc's ability to form brass was discovered long before zinc was known to be an element. While brass is a useful metal in its own right, it may have been mistaken for another metal when it was first invented ... you know, the other yellow metal.