Zinc chloride is the name of
chemical compounds with the
formula ZnCl
2 and its hydrates. Zinc chlorides, of which nine crystalline forms are known, are colorless or white, and are highly
soluble in water. ZnCl
2 itself is
hygroscopic and even
deliquescent. Samples should therefore be protected from sources of moisture, including the water vapor present in ambient air. Zinc chloride finds wide application in
textile processing,
metallurgical fluxes, and chemical synthesis. No mineral with this chemical composition is known aside from the very rare mineral
simonkolleite, Zn
5(OH)
8Cl
2·H
2O.