Lead

Lead is a heavy metal that appears silvery with a hint of blue but exposed to air it turns into a dull grey color. It is hard to find lead at a pure native level, instead it is usually found with other metals such as zinc, silver and copper. Lead is easily workable and corrosion-resistant, for this reason it had a wide use in the past. Since its toxicity was recognized (late 19th century) its use has been phased out of many applications. Nowadays, the most important use of lead is in battery technology, other uses are: pigments, metal surface treatment, cable sheathing, radiation protection and extruded products.