Lead occurs in deposits widespread throughout the world. Although it is not considered a rare metal, it makes up only 0.0016% of the earth’s crust. Lead ores do, however, tend to be concentrated in pockets, which makes mining it economical. Lead’s properties – high density, low melting point, corrosion resistance, malleability, unusual electrical properties, and ability to form useful alloys and chemical compounds, combined with its readily available forms and relative low cost, make it a unique material for the solution of a variety of problems.