I would think zinc could be used to produce a Cu-Ni -Zn alloy,, also known as nickel silver due to its color ( silver color)… It would also be anti-microbial..[1]. There is a family of alloys like this - called nickel sivers. These alloys would also have the desirable property of being harder and more durable than zinc. read more
The metal has been known and used since at least 1400 to 1000 B.C. Use of zinc as an alloy dates back to the ancient Romans and possibly even before that. Brass Brass, the most common zinc alloy, is used in construction and to make cast items such as musical instruments. read more
Again, zinc alloys greatly improve on this property over the pure metal, allowing more complex fabrication methods to be used. Conductivity: Zinc’s conductivity is moderate for a metal. Its strong electrochemical properties, however, serve well in the galvanizing process and alkaline batteries; The History of Zinc. Man-made zinc alloy products have been reliably dated as far back as 500 BC, and zinc was first intentionally added to copper to form brass around 200-300 BC. read more