Zinc smelter at night. Smelting is the process by which a metal is separated from its ore by heating the ore. This is the Pasminco Hobart Smelter that was built by the Electrolytic Zinc Company in 1916 and was once the world's largest zinc smelter. The high-quality zinc produced here is used to protect iron and steel products by galvanisation, and also to make electrolytic zinc diecasting alloy (EZDA), a material used to make objects ranging from door handles to car parts and model cars. Photographed in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.