It is primarily used as a micronutrient fertilizer in animal feed supplements water treatment for rayon production and as a laboratory reagent or wood preservative.

Its main purpose is to supply bioavailable zinc for plant growth enzyme function and animal nutrition while acting as a mordant or flocculant in industrial processes due to its water solubility (960 gL).

Zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO47H2O) is a colorless or white crystalline solid composed of Zn2 cations SO4 anions and seven water molecules of crystallization forming an orthorhombic structure isostructural with ferrous sulfate heptahydrate with density 1.97 gcm3 and efflorescing above 39C.