ORES AND MINERALS LEAD Appearance

1.0 Extraction of mineral y y y y y Lead oxide from the roasting process is reduced in a coke-fired blast furnace. This converts most of the lead to its metallic form. Three additional layers separate in the process and float to the top of the metallic lead. These are slag (silicates containing 1.5% lead), matte (sulfides containing 15% lead), and speiss (arsenides of iron and copper). These wastes contain concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium, and bismuth that can be recovered economically, as can their content of unreduced lead

2.0 Properties of minerals Physical properties y y y y y y y Lead is a soft malleablepoor metal Considered to be one of the heavy metals. Has a bluish-white color when freshly cut, but tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed to air. Shiny chrome-silver luster when melted into a liquid. Has poor electrical conductivity. Lead is also poisonous -dangerous to human health

Chemical properties y y y y Highest atomic number of all stable elements. Main-group element with symbol Pb. Atomic number 82. Various oxidized forms of lead are easily reduced to the metal. An example is heating PbO with mild organic reducing agents such as glucose. A mixture of the oxide and the sulfide heated together without any reducing agent will also form the metal.[5] o 2PbO + PbS 3 Pb + SO2 Metallic lead is attacked only superficially by air, forming a thin layer of oxide that protects it from further oxidation. The metal is not attacked by sulfuric or hydrochloric acids. It does, however, dissolve in nitric acid with the evolution of nitric oxide gas to form dissolved Pb(NO3)2. 3 Pb2+ + 6 NO3 + 2 NO + 4H2O o 3 Pb + 8 H+ + 8 NO3 When heated with nitrates of alkali metals, metallic lead oxidizes to form PbO (also known as litharge), leaving the corresponding alkali nitrite. PbO is representative of lead's II oxidation state. It is soluble in nitric and acetic acids, from which solutions it is possible to precipitate halide, sulfate, chromate, carbonate (PbCO3), and basic carbonate (Pb3(OH)2(CO3)2) salts of lead. The sulfide can also be precipitated from acetate solutions. These salts are all poorly soluble in water. Among the halides, the iodide is less soluble than the bromide, which, in turn, is less soluble than the chloride.[23]The II oxide is also soluble in alkalihydroxide solutions to form the corresponding plumbite salt.[5] o PbO + 2OH + H2O Pb(OH)42 Chlorination of plumbite solutions causes the formation of lead's IV oxidation state. PbO2 + 2 Cl + 2 H2O o Pb(OH)42 + Cl2

3.0 Application of minerals in daily life y y y y y y used in building construction bullets and shot, weights Part of solder, pewter, fusiblealloys and radiation shields. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in soft tissues and bone over time. Lead is a major constituent of the lead-acid battery used extensively as a car battery.

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Lead is used as a coloring element in ceramic glazes, notably in the colors red and yellow. Lead is used to form glazing bars for stained glass or other multi-lit windows. The practice has become less common, not for danger but for stylistic reasons. Lead is frequently used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which coats electrical cords. Lead is used as projectiles for firearms and fishing sinkers because of its density, low cost compared to alternative products and ease of use due to relatively low melting point.[26] Lead or "sheet-lead" is used as a sound deadening layer in such areas as wall, floor and ceiling design in sound studios where levels of airborne and mechanically produced sound are targeted for reduction or virtual elimination.