Lead

Lead has the atomic symbol Pb. Lead is a toxic metal that can damage nerve connections (especially in young children) and cause blood and brain disorders. Therefore, lead should be handled with care – even when it needs to be scrapped and recycled. Lead is a soft heavy metal that is suitable for the production of flexible pipes and sheets, making it useful for drainpipes, traps, and covering electrical cables. However, it has largely been replaced by plastic. Due to its high density, it can be used for shotgun pellets. Lead sheets are used for roofing, primarily on old churches that were roofed with lead.

Easy to work with

Lead has been used for thousands of years because of its widespread availability, ease of extraction, and ease of processing. The Romans used lead to make water pipes, which might have been one of the reasons for the downfall of the Roman Empire. Lead in the form of metal occurs naturally, but it is very rare. Lead is usually found in zinc, silver, and copper ores, from which it is extracted.  

Examples of lead in everyday life:

• Roof flashings
• Pipes
• Lead balance weights
• Shooting range lead
• Lead-acid car batteries