
Lead is one of the oldest metals on Earth. It is a chemical element with symbol Pb (from the Latin plumbum). It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, lead is silvery with a hint of blue; it tarnishes to a dull grey colour when exposed to air.
Lead has the highest atomic number of any stable element and three of its isotopes each conclude a major decay chain of heavier elements. Galena, (PbS) is a principal ore of lead.
Lead is a toxin that acts as a neurotoxin damaging the nervous system and the brain.
Uses:
The Ancient Egyptians were the first to use lead minerals in cosmetics, glazes of clay pottery, and for sewage/ pipe systems.
Nowadays lead is used at construction sites, for batteries, bullets, nuclear protecting vests, shields, and different alloys.