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ICEX Commodity Profile – Lead
Lead is a metallic chemical element with a symbol Pb. It is a heavy,
soft, grey-blue metal present in a large variety of products. It is one
of the oldest metals. The Romans used it for pipes and in solder. It was
one of the first metals mined in North America, where it was sought
after especially for making shot.
Lead is one of man's most valuable commodities in present scenario. The
metal is mined and processed in some 60 countries. It is a naturally
occurring element and is usually associated with other minerals, notably
zinc, silver and copper. Lead is usually found in ore with zinc, silver
and (most abundantly) copper, and is extracted together with these
metals. Trace amounts of other elements, including gold, are sometimes
found with lead ore. The main lead mineral is galena (PbS), which
contains 86.6% lead.
Economic importance
- Lead is a dense, ductile, very soft, highly malleable, bluish-white
metal.
- Lead is used in the manufacture of lead-acid storage batteries for
automotive, industrial and consumer purposes.
- It is used in manufacturing of lead foil, plumbing, solder, sound
proofing, ammunition, addition to glass to block harmful radiation from
television and computer screens.
- It is also used as an ultraviolet ray protector in PVC plastics.
Red lead is lead tetroxide, Pb3O4; lead peroxide or dioxide, PbO2, is
used in matches, as a mordant in dyeing, and as an oxidizing agent.
- White lead, 2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2 (basic lead carbonate), is an important
pigment used in paints, putty, and ceramics.
Global Scenario
Lead is traded mostly as soft lead, animated lead, lead alloys and
copper-based lead scrap. Lead ore is mined in many countries around the
world, though three quarters of world output comes from only six
countries: China, Australia, USA, Peru, Canada and Mexico. China and
Australia are the leading suppliers of lead in the world. Small amounts
are mined in several countries of Europe, with the biggest producer
being Sweden. China, India, Japan, USA and European Union are the main
consumers of lead in the world.
Domestic Scenario
India’s lead production rate is not stagnant as it keeps change year by
year. India's production is highly effected by zinc because domestically
lead mining is done as co-product of zinc and if any case the zinc
supply is increased or decreased then it will same reflect to lead. |
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