Commodity
Lead
Lead is unglamorous and remarkably stable in demand, because most of it goes into batteries that eventually get recycled into more batteries. It is also the most recycled metal in common use.
Price
What it is used for
- Lead-acid batteries for vehicles and backup power
- Radiation shielding
- Cable sheathing
- Alloys and solders
Supply
More than half of world supply comes from recycling rather than mining. Primary lead is usually mined with zinc, so a lead project's economics rarely depend on lead alone.
Principal producing countries: China, Australia, United States, Peru, Mexico, India.
Producer list from United States Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, checked 10 September 2026.