Zinc sulfate, also known as alum or zinc vitriol, is colorless or white rhombic crystals or powder at room temperature. It has astringent properties and is easily soluble in water. The aqueous solution is acidic and slightly soluble in ethanol and glycerol. Pure zinc sulfate does not turn yellow when stored in the air for a long time, but loses water when placed in dry air and turns into white powder. There are many kinds of hydrates: the stable hydrate in equilibrium with water in the range of 0-39ºC is zinc sulfate heptahydrate, 3Chemicalbook9-60ºC is zinc sulfate hexahydrate, and within 60-100ºC is zinc sulfate monohydrate.

Zinc sulfate is mainly used as a raw material for the preparation of pigment lithopone, zinc barium white and other zinc compounds. It is also used as a nutrient material for animals when zinc is deficient, a feed additive for animal husbandry, a zinc fertilizer (trace element fertilizer) for crops, and artificial fibers. Important materials, electrolytes in electrolytic production of metallic zinc, mordants in the textile industry, pharmaceutical emetics, astringents, fungicides, wood and leather preservatives, etc. It is obtained by the action of zinc or zinc oxide and sulfuric acid or by extraction and refinement of sphalerite after roasting in a reverberatory furnace.