Zinc substituted beta-tricalcium phosphate [beta-Ca-3(PO4)(2)] was formed by substituting a zinc precursor in calcium-deficient apatite through aqueous precipitation technique. Heat treatment at 1000 degrees C led to the formation of well crystalline beta-Ca-3(PO4). Refinement technique was used to determine the influence of incorporated zinc in the beta-Ca-3(PO4) structure. The structural data for all the four different zinc substituted beta-Ca-3(PO4) ranging from 0-9 mol% of zinc investigated in the present study confirmed the rhombohedral structure of beta-Ca-3(PO4) in the hexagonal setting (space group R3c). The incorporation of lower sized Zn2+ (0.745 A for sixfold coordination with O) at the higher sized Ca2+ (1.00 A for sixfold coordination with O) site in the beta-Ca-3(PO4) structure led to the contraction of unit cell parameters. The added zinc prefers to occupy the Ca(5) site of beta-Ca-3(PO4) structure.