Zinc refining is the process of purifying zinc to special high grade (SHG) zinc, which is at least 99.995% pure. This process is not usually required when smelting of zinc is done through electrolysis processes, but is needed when zinc is produced by pyrometallurgical processes, because it is only 98.5% pure.
There are various refining methods, but the refluxing process is the most commonly used.
High purity zinc is required industrially to avoid zinc pest, a slow distortion and cracking of zinc die castings caused by impurities precipitating out.