Group 12 element ancient times as well as in alloys such as brass that have been found to be over 2000 years old. Zinc was distinctly recognized as a metal under the designation of "Fasada" in the medical Lexicon ascribed to the Hindu king Madanapala (of Taka dynasty) and written about the year 1374. The metal was also of use to alchemists. The name of the metal was first documented in the 16th century, and is probably derived from the German for the needle-like appearance of metallic crystals. The isolation of metallic zinc in the West may have been achieved independently by several
American Brass Superfund site and extensive soil and groundwater contamination. After assessment by the EPA, it was added to the National Priorities List, in May 1999, for long-term remedial action. American Brass Superfund site The American Brass Superfund site is a former industrial site, located in Henry County, Alabama. American Brass Inc. (ABI) operated a brass smelter and foundry facility on the site between 1978-1992. Prior to its closure in December 1992, the company had been cited by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, (ADEM), on several occasions for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) violations,