Use of separation gas in continuous hot dip metal finishing

The invention relates to a method for suppressing zinc evaporation in the hot dip metal coating of a steel strip with zinc or zinc alloys. According to the invention, a separation gas layer is provided above the metal bath, said gas being selected from argon, butane, krypton, propane, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, xenon, acetylene, arsine, boron trichloride, boron trifluoride, butene, dichlorosilane, disilane, ethylene oxide, tetrafluoromethane, monochlorodifluoromethane, trifluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, tetrafluoroethene, isobutane, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen(III) fluoride, nitrogen oxide, phosphine, propene, silane, silicon tetrafluoride, silicon tetrachloride, sulphur hexafluoride, sulphur tetrafluoride, tungsten hexafluoride, or from an arbitrary combination of the aforementioned gases to form a gas mixture with or without argon. Said gases have a poor conductivity and are suitable for preventing gaseous turbulence.