Lead is a versatile metal with a wide range of applications.
Lead is one of the seven metals known from very ancient times. An early acquaintance of man with lead was favored by the ease of reduction of the metal from ores, its low melting point and ductility, which facilitated its working. Lead is more metallic in properties while its oxides are amphoteric. Our earliest knowledge of smelting methods is speculative.
By 1900 technology was well advanced making use of PbS-PbO roast reaction and reduction reactions. From 1900 to the present, the technology and knowledge of smelting and refining process were improved to their present levels.
At present lead is recovered from Primary raw materials like
1. Galena - Lead Sulphide (PbS)
2. Anglesite - Lead Sulphate ( PbSo4)
3. Cerussite - Lead Carbonate (PbCO3)
4. Minium - Lead Oxide (Pb3O4)
At present lead is recovered from Secondary raw materials like
5. Scrap Batteries
6. Drosses/Oxides
7. Residues, Ash, Lead Paste etc.
For the recovery of lead from the above raw materials different processes are followed.
By far the greatest use of lead today is for the manufacture of lead-acid batteries.
Lead-Acid Batteries consume about 80 % of the world’s lead production and this represents the single largest application for lead and lead alloys.
The production of lead chemical compounds occupies second place among its consumers after the battery industry. In industrialized countries 10 - 15 % of lead is consumed for these purposes. Lead chemical compounds are used in the products of special types of glass, crystals, paints, PVC plastics stabilizers etc.
Cable and other industries consume about 5 – 10 % of the lead production.
Pure lead or Refined Lead will be of 99.97%, 99.98% or 99.99% Purity, depending on final impurity levels. Few impurities associated with Lead are Bismuth, Silver, Copper, Antimony, Tin, Nickel, Chromium, Zinc, Iron, Cobalt etc. The total of these impurities will be less than 0.01 or 0.03 depending on the purity of the end product.
Pure Lead manufactured from Lead Ore is called Primary Lead. Pure Lead produced from Recycling process is called Secondary Lead.
There are many types of Lead alloys and Cables alloys being used by different industries.
Lead is an example of an environmental success story. Industry over the years has defined several efficient processes to extract and purify lead from lead scrap. The finished product is indistinguishable from virgin lead. Lead is processed into lead/acid batteries. At the end of their service life, lead is once more extracted from the battery, purified, and returned to service in another new lead/acid battery.
Since lead is the major component of a lead/acid battery, and the most prevalent use of lead is in the manufacture of lead/acid batteries, it in turn follows that the future of the demand cycle for lead and its alloys is closely allied with market considerations for the lead/acid battery.