Nakuba ibala lokugcina elimanzi noma 'ukugqwala okumhlophe' kungavamile ukulimaza ikhono lokuvikela lesembozo esihlanganisiwe, kuyisifo sobuhle okulula kakhulu ukusigwema.

Ibala lokugcina elimanzi lenzeka lapho izinto ezisanda kufakwa ezihlanganisweni zichayeka emswakama njengemvula, amazolo noma ukujiya (umswakama ophezulu), futhi zihlala endaweni enomoya olinganiselwe phezu kwendawo engaphezulu. Lezi zimo zingathinta indlela i-patina evikelayo eyakheka ngayo.

Ngokuvamile, i-zinc iqala isabela nomoya-mpilo ukuze yakhe i-zinc oxide, bese kuba nomswakama ukuze yakhe i-zinc hydroxide. Uma umoya ugeleza kahle, i-zinc hydroxide ibe isiguqukela ku-zinc carbonate ukuze ihlinzeke ngokuvikelwa kwesithiyo ku-zinc, ngaleyo ndlela yehlisa izinga lokugqwala kwayo. Kodwa-ke, uma i-zinc ingenakho ukufinyelela emoyeni ogeleza ngokukhululekile futhi ihlala ivezwe kumswakama, i-zinc hydroxide iyaqhubeka nokukhula esikhundleni salokho futhi yakha ibala lokugcina elimanzi.

Ukugqwala okumhlophe kungakhula ngemva kwamasonto noma ngisho nobusuku bonke uma izimo zilungile. Ezindaweni ezisogwini ezinzima, amabala okugcina amanzi angavela nasezindaweni eziqongelelekile zikasawoti emoyeni ezimunca umswakama ebusuku.

Ezinye izinsimbi ezihlanganisiwe zingakha uhlobo lwebala lokugcina elimanzi elaziwa ngokuthi 'amabala amnyama', elibonakala njengamabala amnyama anokugqwala okumhlophe okuyimpuphu okuzungezile noma okungenawo. Lolu hlobo lwebala lokugcina elimanzi luvame kakhulu ensimbini ekhanyayo efana namashidi, ama-purlin kanye nezingxenye ezingenalutho ezinezindonga ezincane. Kunzima kakhulu ukuhlanza kunezinhlobo ezijwayelekile zokugqwala okumhlophe, futhi ngezinye izikhathi amabala angase abonakale ngemva kokuhlanza.