According to market data, about 15% of world zinc consumption is devoted to the production of zinc-base alloys that are used for manufacturing automotive parts, electronic/electrical systems and also, water taps and sanitary fittings, household articles, fashion goods, etc. These alloys are characterized by low melting points and high fluidity that make them suitable for foundry applications. Typically, they are processed by hot chamber high-pressure die-casting where can be cast to thicknesses as low as 0.13 mm. The die-cast zinc alloys possess an attractive combination of mechanical properties, permitting them to be applied in a wide variety of functional applications. However, depending on the alloying elements and purposes, some zinc alloys can be processed also by cold chamber die-casting, gravity, or sand casting as well as spin casting and slush casting. In this paper, a detailed overview of the current knowledge in the relationships between processing, microstructure and mechanical properties of zinc-base alloys will be described. In detail, the evolution of the microstructure, the dimensional stability and aging phenomena are described. Furthermore, a thorough discussion on mechanical properties, as such as hardness, tensile, creep, and wear properties of zinc-base alloys is presented.Metals 2020, 10, 253 2 of 16 melting temperature, resulting in low energy consumption and long die life, combined with high fluidity, that helps in filling complex mold cavities and very thin sections, typically as low as 0.75 mm or even down to 0.13 mm [7]. They show good mechanical properties, including equivalent, or often better, bearing and wear properties than conventional Cu alloys [8,9]. Additionally, they offer good finishing and ability to be easily plated, making them more resistant to corrosion and wear and improving their aesthetic appearance. On the contrary, they suffer from reduction in performance above 80-90 • C [10] and/or after long exposure at room temperature (aging) [11]. For these reasons, they are mainly used for small non-structural components in many fields as such as automotive, hardware, electric/electronic devices, clothes, toys, sports, ornaments, etc. For instance, parts like safety belt blocks, locking mechanisms, wiper motor housings, cylinder locks, some electronic connectors, handles, tap systems, zippers, belt buckles, spring adjuster in bikes, costume jewelry, appliances, etc. are made from zinc-base alloys (Figure 1). Metals 2020, 1, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 16fluidity, that helps in filling complex mold cavities and very thin sections, typically as low as 0.75 mm or even down to 0.13 mm [7]. They show good mechanical properties, including equivalent, or often better, bearing and wear properties than conventional Cu alloys [8,9]. Additionally, they offer good finishing and ability to be easily plated, making them more resistant to corrosion and wear and improving their aesthetic appearance. On the contrary, they suffer from reduction in performance above 80-90 °C [10] and/or after long e...