It is a rare secondary mineral formed by weathering of zinc-bearing slag, and is associated with native zinc, hydrocerussite, diaboleite, zincite and hydrozincite.

It is named after Werner Simon and Kurt Kolle, Mineral collectors of Cornberg, near Michelsdorf who submitted the samples for investigation.

[1][2][3] Simonkolleite is colorless, forms tabular hexagonal crystal up to 1 mm in diameter, and has perfect cleavage parallel to (001).

The dehydrated mixture (Zn(OH)Cl and ZnO) is easily rehydrated and converted back to simonkolleite upon exposure to cool moist air (eq.

[5][6][7] Simonkolleite is virtually insoluble in water and organic solvents, soluble in mineral acids yielding the corresponding zinc salts (eq.

[9] Basic zinc chloride can be prepared by hydrolysis of a ZnCl2 solution in the presence of a base such as sodium hydroxide or ammonia (eq.

[5][10] Simonkolleite nanodisks with a width of 40 nm have been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method using zinc chloride and ammonia as the starting materials.

The result is a crystalline solid that is essentially insoluble in water, non-hygroscopic, un-reactive in most foods or feedstuffs, and yet highly bioavailable.

[14][15] Research studies performed at universities and feed industry have all indicated that TBZC has a higher bioavailability relative to zinc sulfate, with values ranging from 102 to 111%.

[17][21][22] Investigation on growth performance and some physiological parameters in the digestive tract of weanling piglets has shown that TBZC stimulated the synthesis and secretion of pancreatic chymotrypsin and may promote intestinal health.

[22] Basic zinc chloride has been used as a stabilizing agent in nutritional and fungicidal compositions for application to the foliage of growing plants.

[26] A zinc-based plating layer formed by basic zinc chloride and magnesium has been shown to display excellent corrosion resistance.