Abstract: Industrial application of microwave, as a heating source for material processing, was reviewed. The feasibility of carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide concentrate, as well as the effect of operating parameters was investigated, using a home style microwave oven at 2.45 GHz. Zinc oxide concentrate does not effectively absorb microwave energy, while any source of carbon, which is used as the reduction agent, absorbs microwave energy very well. In this respect coke breeze was found to be the best, and thus, coke was used both as the reducing agent and the absorbent of microwave energy. It was also found that any increase in the carbon content and size, increases the reduction rate. Increasing the microwave power and the size of the sample could also increase the reduction rate. Further investigation shows that when zinc oxide is exposed to the microwave for some time, the rate of the reduction by conventional method increases.

Key words: Microwave, Zinc oxide, Reduction