Lead

Native lead does occur in nature, but it is rare. Currently lead is usually found in ore with zinc, silver and (most abundantly) copper, and is extracted together with these metals. The main lead mineral is galena (PbS), which contains 86.6％ lead. Other common varieties are cerussite (PbCO3) and anglesite (PbSO4). In mining, the ore is extracted by drilling or blasting and then is crushed and ground. In 2005, China produced almost one－third of the global mined output of lead closely followed by Australia.