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Lead

Overview

This easily-worked metal has been used for pipes, pewter and paint since Roman times. It has also been used in lead glazes for pottery and, in this century, as an additive to raise the octane level of petrol. All these uses have now either been banned, replaced or discouraged as lead is known to be detrimental to health, particularly that of children. Daily intake of lead from all sources is about a tenth of a milligrams, and the average human body stores about 120 milligrams in the bones. Lead is still widely used for cable sheathing, car batteries, lead crystal glass, radiation protection and in some solders. Lead is very resistant to corrosion – lead pipes from Roman times are still in use today – and it is often used to store corrosive liquids. Great quantities of lead, both as the metal and the dioxide, are used in batteries. Lead is also used in cable covering, plumbing and ammunition. Tetraethyl lead is used as an anti-knock agent in petrol, and as an additive in paints. Lead is an effective shield around X-ray equipment and nuclear reactors.

Metals we sell

The copper, nickel, tin and zinc metals are priced and hedged using the London Metal Exchange (LME), which allows our customer to fix price forward basis current market prices.

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Ammonium Perrhenate Rhenium

Nickel Briquettes

Nickel Powder