Lead
About Lead
Lead is a dense, soft base metal predominantly used in lead-acid batteries for automotive and backup power applications. Despite environmental concerns and regulatory restrictions, lead-acid batteries remain the dominant automotive starting battery technology globally. Lead has one of the highest recycling rates of any material, with secondary production accounting for the majority of supply in developed nations.
Primary Uses
Top Producing Countries
Quick Facts
- Symbol
- Pb
- Atomic Number
- 82
- Category
- Base Metal
- Criticality Level
- Low
- Supply Risk
- Low
- Top Producer
- China
- USGS Critical List
- Not Listed
- EU CRM List
- Not Listed
Explore Lead In Depth
Dive into detailed analysis across 11 key topics covering every aspect of the Lead value chain.
Uses & Applications
Discover the primary industrial, technological, and commercial applications of Lead across key sectors.
Supply Chain
Trace the Lead supply chain from mine to market, including key intermediaries, processing hubs, and trade flows.
Mining & Processing
Learn how Lead is extracted, concentrated, and processed into usable forms for downstream industries.
Refining & Grade Specs
Explore the refining methods, purity grades, and technical specifications that define Lead products.
Recycling
Assess the recycling potential, current recovery rates, and circular economy opportunities for Lead.
Substitutes
Evaluate possible substitutes and alternative materials that could reduce dependence on Lead.
Investing
Understand the investment landscape for Lead, including equities, ETFs, futures, and direct exposure strategies.
Price
Analyze Lead pricing mechanisms, historical trends, benchmarks, and the factors that drive market volatility.
Companies
Identify the major miners, processors, and technology companies involved in the Lead value chain.
Projects
Review the significant mining and processing projects shaping the future supply of Lead worldwide.
Risks
Examine the supply risks, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and strategic concerns associated with Lead.
Return to the full Mineral Library to explore other critical and strategic minerals.