Pb
Lead
Lead
Lead is a heavy metal that is now mainly used in batteries.
Our Cannington operation in Queensland, Australia has grown to become the world’s largest and lowest cost producer of lead - producing seven per cent of the world’s lead.
Key stats
Key uses of lead
Learn more
Learn more
Learn more
Today, lead is mainly used in batteries. Rechargeable lead-acid batteries are widely used in the automotive industry for starting cars, and they also being used in electric vehicles. Lead-acid batteries are also used in a range of contexts to support and store energy from various renewable energy technologies.
Lead also has important medical and industrial uses as a shield for radiation and a container for corrosive liquids, among other uses.
Producing lead
South32 produces lead at our Cannington operation in Queensland, Australia. Cannington is one of the world's largest lead producers.Cannington
Cannington
Queensland, Australia
Cannington consists of an underground hard rock mine and surface processing facility, a road-to-rail transfer facility and a concentrate handling and ship loading facility at the Port of Townsville. In Q4 FY22 we transitioned to 100 per cent truck haulage to bring product to the surface.
Silver, lead and zinc are extracted from the ore using grinding, sequential flotation and leaching techniques that produce high-grade, marketable lead and zinc concentrates with a high silver content.
