What is EN 1179?
My customer wants to know if the zinc I use meets EN 1179. What is this?
EN 1179 Zinc and Zinc alloys Primary Zinc, is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization or CEN. The standard …specifies the classification, chemical composition, marking and other requirements for primary zinc. It has been adopted by other European standardization organizations such as British Standards (BSI). While North American galvanizers may be unfamiliar with this standard because of its infrequent use in the region, they will be familiar with ASTM B6 Standard Specification for Zinc. Both standards cover the requirements for zinc that may be used in the galvanizing process but do not cover secondary zinc produced through remelting. Each standard contains five grades of primary zinc (prime western, special high grade, etc.). Each grade has a corresponding color code that relates strongly to the two standards.
Once we know what is covered in EN 1179, the new question becomes: If the zinc I use meets one of the classifications in ASTM B6, does it also meet EN 1179? The two standards are nearly identical, however, there are a few subtle differences in chemical composition requirements between the two standards. The chart below shows which zinc grade in EN 1179 corresponds to which zinc grade in ASTM B6. It also summarizes the varying requirements of the two grades in the final column.
So does zinc that meets the requirements of one of these standards meet the corresponding grade of the other standard? The answer is: most likely. However, it will take a little bit of digging through both tables (shown below) and a look at the summarizing chart to deal with each case specifically.
COMPARISON OF EN 1179 AND ASTM B6
| Color Code | EN 1179 Classification | ASTM B6 Classification | Differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | Z1 | LME Grade | None |
| Yellow | Z2 | Special High-Grade | ASTM B6 max Lead: 0.003% EN 1179 max Lead: 0.005% EN 1179 has no limit on Aluminum |
| Green | Z3 | High Grade | ASTM B6 max Cadmium: 0.01% EN 1179 max Cadmium: 0.005% EN 1179 has no limit on Aluminum |
| Blue | Z4 | Intermediate Grade | ASTM B6 max Cadmium: 0.01% EN 1179 max Cadmium: 0.005% EN 1179 has no limit on Aluminum EN 1179 has no limit on Copper |
| Black | Z5 | Prime Western Grade | ASTM B6 max Cadmium: 0.20% EN 1179 max Cadmium: 0.005% EN 1179 has no limit on Aluminum EN 1179 has no limit on Copper |
TABLE 1 OF ASTM B6- CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS
| Composition % | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Color Code | Lead | Iron Max | Cadmium Max | Aluminum Max | Copper Max | Tin Max | Total Non-Zinc Max | Zinc, min by difference |
| LME Grade | White | 0.003 max | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.005 | 99.995 |
| Special High Grade | Yellow | 0.003 max | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.01 | 99.990 |
| High Grade | Green | 0.03 max | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.02 | 99.95 |
| Intermediate Grade | Blue | 0.45 max | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.20 | - | 0.5 | 99.5 |
| Prime Western Grade | Black | 0.05 - 1.4 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.10 | - | 1.5 | 98.5 |
TABLE 1 OF EN 1179- CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PRIMARY ZINC
| Grade classifi-cation | Color Code | Composition in % (mass fraction) |
|||||||
| Nominal Zinc Content | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total of elements in columns 1 to 6 |
||
| Pb max |
Cd max |
Fe max |
Sn max |
Cu max |
Al max |
||||
| Z1 | White | 99,995 | 0,003 | 0,003 | 0,002 | 0,001 | 0,001 | 0,001 | 0,005 |
| Z2 | Yellow | 99,99 | 0,005 | 0,003 | 0,003 | 0,001 | 0,002 | - | 0,01 |
| Z3 | Green | 99,95 | 0,03 | 0,005 | 0,02 | 0,001 | 0,002 | - | 0,05 |
| Z4 | Blue | 99,5 | 0,45 | 0,005 | 0,05 | - | - | - | 0,5 |
| Z5 | Black | 98,5 | 1,4 | 0,005 | 0,05 | - | - | - | 1,5 |
© 2024 American Galvanizers Association. The material provided herein has been developed to provide accurate and authoritative information about after-fabrication hot-dip galvanized steel. This material provides general information only and is not intended as a substitute for competent professional examination and verification as to suitability and applicability. The information provided herein is not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of the AGA. Anyone making use of this information assumes all liability arising from such use.