U.S. Consumption Of Lead, By Product

This table presents detailed data on the consumption of lead in the United States, categorized by various product types and industrial applications. It highlights the quantities of lead content used in metal products such as ammunition, bearing metals, casting metals, pipes, sheet lead, solder, and storage batteries, as well as other oxides and miscellaneous uses. This information is crucial for understanding the demand patterns of lead across different sectors, which has significant economic and industrial implications. It informs policymakers, manufacturers, and investors about trends in lead usage, helping to guide resource allocation, environmental considerations, and market strategies in industries reliant on this versatile metal.

Analyzing the data from 2021 to 2022 reveals several notable trends. Total consumption of lead in metal products slightly declined from 1,190,000 metric tons to 1,160,000 metric tons. The storage battery sector remains the dominant consumer, accounting for over 1 million metric tons annually, though there was a marked shift within this category: lead used in storage battery grids and posts dropped sharply from 688,000 to 192,000 metric tons, while lead in storage battery oxides more than doubled from 355,000 to 820,000 metric tons. Other significant changes include a substantial increase in lead used for nuclear radiation shielding, rising from 88 to 582 metric tons, and a more than doubling of lead consumption in pipes, traps, and other extruded products from 1,100 to 2,610 metric tons. Conversely, miscellaneous uses saw a decrease from 17,000 to 14,900 metric tons, and the use of lead in other pigments and chemicals declined from 856 to 554 metric tons. These shifts reflect evolving industrial demands and technological changes affecting lead consumption patterns.