Uses of Pure Lead, Refined Lead

There are many different uses of Lead. It may be used as a pure metal, alloyed with other metals, or as chemical compounds.

Battery

The principal consumption of Lead is for the Pb Acid storage battery in which grid or plate is made of Lead or with other metal more commonly with antimony.

Rolled Extrusions

Lead Sheet is used in the building industry for flashings or weathering to prevent water penetration & for roofing and cladding. By virtue of its resistance to chemical corrosion, these are also uses for the lining of chemical treatment baths, acid plants and storage vessels. The high density of Sheet makes it a very effective material for sound insulation purpose. Plumbum clad steel has also found use in radiation shielding.

Pigments

Recently the use of Pb in paints has been drastically curtailed to eliminate or reduce health hazards. White Lead, 2PbCO3 Pb(OH)2, is the most extensively used in pigments. Other Plumbum pigments of importance are basic Lead sulfate and chromates.

Cable Sheathing

Because of its high ductility, good extrusion ability, relatively low temperature & excellent proven corrosion resistance when in contact with a wide range of industrial and marine environments, soils and chemicals, Alloys are used extensively as sheathing materials for high voltage power cables.

Ammunition

Use of ammunition with Bullets, which are commonly used in sport shooting with small arms

Lead alloys

Lead forms alloys with many metals. Alloys formed with tin, copper, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, cadmium, and sodium are all of industrial importance.

It is used to make bearings, solder, antifriction metals, and type metal.

Soft solders are largely Lead-tin alloys with or without antimony while fusible alloys are various combinations of Lead, tin, bismuth, cadmium and other low melting point metals.

Lead Shot is an Alloy of Pb, Antimony, and Arsenic. Pb Foil is made with Pb alloys. Lead is added to brass to reduce machine tool wear.