HomoSapien Zinc

[WinnieTaylor]

The only use for zinc is Dyes.  Finding and processing it, is too time-consuming for the benefit.

[LadyWYT]

I don't recall zinc being used for any dyes. You can use tin as a mordant though, in addition to using it to make a type of bronze.

Zinc can also be used to make a type of bronze(bismuth bronze), and can also be used to create brass. Bismuth bronze is handy for tools and a different color than tin bronze, whereas brass can be used for torch holders and has a nice golden color. Brass is also probably the cheapest gold-colored metal to produce en masse for things such as lanterns. So I'd hardly call it useless.

[WalrusJones]

I'd love if brass was a copper tier material with modestly improved durability, given, its material properties are like very mildly improved copper.
You might only use this weird interaction in 7% of worlds, but its one of those nice things that would make me feel clever whenever I had the chance to do it.

[Jack Of All Trades]

I think a lot of the side metals could have other uses since many times materials like pure zinc or bismuth get relegated to lantern fodder, decorative blocks (sometimes), or dye. It's considered a waste to not alloy those materials, which stinks since I have been finding a ton of bismuth deposits near where I am. At bare minimum, brass has a special use making torch sconces.

That aside, I will say that the sphalerite(zinc) ore texture may need some reworks. The texture is almost indistinguishable from the rock it's inside and I think that contributes to the problems with locating it.

[Thorfinn]

The purpose of brass is mostly to stretch your copper when making lanterns. If you have zinc, you might as well use it up. I wouldn't go out of my way to find it, no, but if it's handy, why not take it home rather than look for yet more copper? Every nugget of zinc you have is one fewer nugget of copper you need.