Lead is one of the more controversial metals that has contributed significantly to civilization and caused a lot of harm as well. The fact that lead is one of the softest metals and breaks rather easily also makes it potentially one of the oldest metals to be extracted from ores - and some books believe that this history dates back to thousands of years before the birth of Christ. Over time, its easy to use features also made it one of the most popular metals in the Roman Empire - which built its piping and plumbing systems with it and also cooked a lot of dishes and made wine in lead pots. Naturally, this excessive use of the toxic material also led to poisoning in the Romans - and some historians believe that lead might also have been a contributing factor to Rome's decline.
In the modern era, perhaps the biggest scare caused by lead came from gasoline. Lead was used as an anti-knocking agent to prevent incorrect engine operations. At the time, the harmful effects of lead were not known. However, soon, these effects became readily known, as almost 80% of Americans were reported to have higher than normal blood lead levels. This led to a phasing out of leaded gasoline and other anti-knocking agents were added. This phase-out resulted in an accumulation of benefits over the next couple of decades, with the United Nations reporting in 2011 that the cumulative elimination of leaded gasoline in developing countries has led to a whopping $2.4 trillion in annual benefits - while also leading to 1.2 million fewer premature deaths and higher levels of human intelligence. The latter benefit also shows another harmful effect of lead, since a higher level of the metal leads to more aggression and mood instability in children.
The global lead market was worth $16.74 billion in 2022 and is expected to sit at $19.07 billion by the end of this year, reflecting a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% according to research from The Business Research Company. The research firm adds that the industry, like others, was also impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 due to the disruption in global supply chain. Looking ahead, the industry is slated to grow at a CAGR of 16.7% to sit at $35.37 billion by the end of 2027. A toxic material feared by many is still expected to increase its growth rate in the future - sounds counterintuitive on the surface. However, once again, human progress is to blame for this growth, as the rising economies of India and China are expected to drive up the demand for the heavy metal.
In terms of lead prices, 2022 was a choppy year. During Q1 2022, the metal was trading at above $2,000 per metric ton; however, this dropped to below the level in the latter half as market dynamics came into play. These dynamics were influenced by new taxes in China, which have a strong influence on secondary lead production. These taxes reduced the secondary output of the material — smelting — even as primary production from mines grew. This changed overall market dynamics, and created a glut and a shortage at the same time. The market somewhat stabilized as car production rebounded after a historic semiconductor shortage last year cleared up. Finally, global lead supply is expected to sit at 4.68 million metric tons this year, while its price per metric ton is slated to sit at $1,924 by the end of this year.
Narrowing our focus down to America, one of the biggest users of lead in America is the lead battery industry. Estimates from the International Lead Association show that this industry generates $26.3 billion in revenue and employs 25,000 people. The U.S. consumes 1.6 million tons of lead each year, and 90% of this consumption is for batteries. Lead is also one of the most recycled products in America. However, lead recycling is still insufficient to keep up with demand. Demand for lead batteries is also anticipated to grow by 2030 - from 415 Gwh in 2020 to 490 Gwh in 2030. One of the biggest lead miners in the U.S. is the private firm The Renco Group. The firm operates some of the largest lead mines in America.
With these details in mind, let's take a look at some of the world's top lead producing countries.
Top 12 Lead Producing Countries in the World
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Our Methodology
To compile our list of the world's largest lead producing countries, we used data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS)'s Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022 - Lead report. The list shares data for both mine production and lead reserves. The 12 largest lead producing countries in the world are listed below.
Top 12 Lead Producing Countries in the World
12. Republic of Kazakhstan
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 40,000
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a European and Asian landlocked country. It has a $596 billion GDP and a GDP per capita of $30.827. Kazakhstan's largest lead mining company is Kazzinc, which is a subsidiary of the Swiss global mining giant Glencore plc. The country produced forty thousand metric tons of lead in 2021, and it has two million tons of lead reserves. While Kazakhstan ranks low in our list of the world's biggest lead producing countries, it has the tenth largest lead reserves in the world.
11. Republic of Tajikistan
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 46,000
The Republic of Tajikistan is another landlocked Central Asian country. It has one of the smallest economies in the world. which stands at $47 billion in purchasing power parity terms. This also lends Tajikistan a relatively low GDP per capita of $4,803. It is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of minerals, having dozens of different types of minerals. Most of Tajikistan's lead and zinc reserves are in the Karamazarskiy district.
10. Republic of Türkiye
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 60,000
The Republic of Türkiye is an Asian and European country with a rapidly developing economy. Türkiye's economy is worth $3.5 trillion in purchasing power parity terms, making it among the top fifteen economies in the world. It has a GDP per capita of $41,412. While its rapid industrialization makes Türkiye the tenth largest lead producing country in the world, it has the lowest total reserves on our list which stand at 860 metric tons. One of Türkiye's major lead mining companies is San Eczacibaşi Endüstriyel Hammaddeler San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
9. Kingdom of Sweden
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 70,000
The Kingdom of Sweden is one of the most developed countries in the world. It has a $712 billion GDP and a high GP per capita of $65,842. Sweden is one of Europe's leading metal producers. Data shows that it produced 32.8% of the European Union's lead in 2020 - and nearly all of its iron. Sweden had Europe's largest lead mine until 2001, during which time it produced sixty metric tons of the metal. According to the USGS, Sweden has 1.1 million tons of lead reserves.
8. Plurinational State of Bolivia
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 90,000
The Plurinational State of Bolivia is a South American land locked country. It has a $118 billion economy and a GDP per capita of $9,933. One of Bolivia's largest mining facilities, the San Cristóbal mining complex, is also responsible for producing lead along with other metals such as zinc. San Cristobal is operated by one of the world's largest mining companies, the Japanese firm Sumitomo Corporation. Bolivia is also rapidly growing its lead production, which grew to ninety thousand metric tons in 2021 from 65,000 in 2020 - or by 38.4%.
7. Republic of India
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 210,000
The Republic of India is the world's second largest country in terms of population, and the third largest economy in the world in purchasing power parity. The Indian economy is worth $13 trillion, and it has a GDP per capita of $9,073. India is also one of the world's oldest users of lead, with the first mention of the metal surfacing from 400 BC. Most of India's lead deposits are in Rajasthan, and within the state, the cities of Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Ajmer, and Sirohi play crucial roles.
6. Russian Federation
Lead Mine Production in 2021 in metric tons: 210,000
The Russian Federation, or Russia, is a global powerhouse in the natural resources market as it produces large amounts of natural gas. While Russia's lead production equals India's production, it has considerably larger deposits. According to the USGS, Russia has four million metric tons of lead reserves in 2021. One of Russia's largest lead mines is the Ozyormy mine.
