What Is Lead Used For?

Lead is a metal element. It is a fairly soft metal and is also extremely toxic to humans. It does, nevertheless, have some important uses. Its main one is in lead acid batteries, which are used in cars. These provide power for starting the engine and electrical power for lights, radios and CD players in the car. Lead acid batteries can be recycled and a large proportion are, making this an environmentally low impact power source.

Lead is also an outstanding material for radiation shielding. Lead shielding is used in dental and medical applications of radiation uto protect medical staff from the effects of x-rays and CAT scans. Special lead-lined rooms in hospitals make life-saving radiation treatments safe and possible.

To produce new lead to use in batteries and for other uses, the ore galena is refined and smelted in a blast furnace with limestone and coke. Other metals are also recovered and purified for use.

Lead used to be used for piping in homes but then people realized that it was toxic and no lead pipes are now used to carry water for drinking. The Elizabethans used lead powder as white make up – which slowly poisoned them to death.