Lead price and historical chart

The latest available lead reference is $1,855.00 USD per metric tonne for August 2026. Latest monthly release. It is a monthly average from World Bank Pink Sheet.

Lead benchmarks track refined metal, while battery and scrap transactions depend on recovery yield, handling and local rules.

Calculate value

Monthly average

$1,855.00

USD / tonne

August 2026 · World Bank Pink Sheet · Latest monthly release

CurrencyPrice per

World Bank Pink SheetDownload USD history ↓

Historical currency views use the latest reference FX, not date-matched historical exchange rates.

lead explained

Lead supply runs through a mature battery-return loop.

Newly mined concentrate is only one entrance. Used batteries return lead-bearing material to secondary smelters, and refined lead goes back into new batteries.

Battery in service

Vehicle, backup-power and motive applications hold lead for a useful life.

Controlled collection

Spent units enter take-back and recycling networks.

Secondary refining

Processors separate and refine recovered lead-bearing material.

New battery production

Recovered and primary lead can re-enter controlled manufacturing.

Why are lead-acid batteries the central lead market?

Lead-acid batteries accounted for an estimated 67% of US lead consumption in 2025. Recycling is central because used batteries return large quantities of metal to secondary refineries.

Lead-acid batteries67%

Other uses33%

Lead-acid batteries

67%

Starting, lighting and ignition batteries plus industrial backup and motive power.

Other uses

33%

Radiation shielding, cable protection, alloys and other reported applications.

A battery is a managed product, not a lump of lead

Lead-acid batteries combine lead compounds, grids, electrolyte and a case. Their recoverable value depends on the accepted battery type and the recycler’s terms rather than gross weight multiplied by a metal price.

Because lead exposure is hazardous, collection and processing belong in controlled recycling systems. The price page provides market context and does not replace handling or disposal requirements.

Use a battery-specific valuation

Identify battery type and the buyer’s accepted unit or weight basis.
Do not dismantle a battery to estimate its metal value.
Use licensed collection and recycling channels.
Keep deposits, transport and recycler deductions separate from the benchmark.

Calculate lead value by weight

See how concentrated lead mine supply is in the metal supply concentration table, or estimate the weight and cost of a lead sheet, bar or tube with the material cost calculator.

Production and use source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Lead. Route evidence: Teck — refined lead and advanced materials.

Which countries mine new lead?

China supplied the largest share of newly mined lead in 2025. Australia ranked second, while Peru, the United States, Russia and India formed a smaller group.

2025 estimate

China led estimated lead mine output in 2025, followed by Australia. Peru, the United States, Russia and India each supplied much smaller volumes.

Loading the lead production map…

The circles compare the published national estimates. Each point marks a representative producing area rather than every operation or legal boundary. The table provides the same facts without the interactive map. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1. China 1.9 million metric tonnes · 42.2% of rounded world output

1.9 million metric tonnes

2. Australia 0.48 million metric tonnes · 10.7% of rounded world output

0.48 million metric tonnes

3. Peru 0.29 million metric tonnes · 6.4% of rounded world output

0.29 million metric tonnes

4. United States 0.28 million metric tonnes · 6.2% of rounded world output

0.28 million metric tonnes

5. Russia 0.26 million metric tonnes · 5.8% of rounded world output

0.26 million metric tonnes

6. India 0.22 million metric tonnes · 4.9% of rounded world output

0.22 million metric tonnes

Mine output is only part of lead supply. USGS estimates that recycled old scrap, mainly batteries, equalled about 70% of US apparent consumption in 2025.

Leading lead producers in the 2025 estimate
Rank	Country	Mine production	World share	Representative map area
1	China	1.9 million metric tonnes	42.2%	Chinese lead-mining regions
2	Australia	0.48 million metric tonnes	10.7%	Queensland and wider Australian lead regions
3	Peru	0.29 million metric tonnes	6.4%	Central Peruvian polymetallic belt
4	United States	0.28 million metric tonnes	6.2%	Missouri Lead Belt and Alaskan byproduct production
5	Russia	0.26 million metric tonnes	5.8%	Russian lead-mining regions
6	India	0.22 million metric tonnes	4.9%	Rajasthan zinc-lead belt

Mine rankings omit the largest US supply loop. USGS estimates that secondary lead made from old scrap equalled about 70% of US apparent consumption in 2025. That recycled metal is intentionally absent from the mine map.

A lead route from Red Dog ore to refined battery metal.

At Red Dog, lead is recovered with zinc. Teck then refines lead at Trail into products used in batteries and specialised applications, illustrating the link between polymetallic mining and product-specific refining.

Choose route

Origin Processing User market Feed material Finished product

Red Dog lead and Trail

Loading the lead supply-chain map…

The numbered route turns the cited operator description into a readable geography. Market points show broad destinations; they do not identify a buyer, live shipment or exclusive path. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1 Alaskan lead-zinc ore → Trail refinery → battery and specialty markets

Teck produces lead concentrate at Red Dog and refines lead at Trail Operations. Refined lead goes into lead-acid batteries, radiation shielding, cable protection and specialised low-alpha products.

1 · OriginRed Dog lead-zinc mine

2 · ProcessingTrail Operations Integrated lead and zinc smelting and refining complex in British Columbia

3 · Supplied or usedNorth American battery marketElectronics and specialty-material market

Source: Teck — refined lead and advanced materials

Used batteries create a separate return route. The displayed line follows newly mined feed. Collection networks move spent batteries to secondary refiners, creating a closed-loop channel that the mine-to-market line cannot show by itself.

Behind the chart.

Data methodology →

This chart separates the source observation, its period and its published unit from later currency or weight conversions.

What this price represents

Lead benchmarks track refined metal, while battery and scrap transactions depend on recovery yield, handling and local rules.

Monthly observations are nominal USD averages from the World Bank Pink Sheet where available; palladium uses means of stored daily references. Yearly values are means of the available monthly averages, with incomplete periods labelled. Period averages describe the stated interval, not a current executable quote. Currency and weight conversions change the display, not the underlying specification.

What a physical transaction may cost

Grade, delivery location, fabrication, taxes and dealer spreads can change a real offer. Use a matching specification and period when comparing prices.

Recent observations

Recent Lead price observations
Period	USD / tonne
Aug 2026	1,855.00
Jul 2026	1,842.00
Jun 2026	1,946.00
May 2026	1,991.00
Apr 2026	1,930.00
Mar 2026	1,878.00
Feb 2026	1,917.00
Jan 2026	1,995.00
Dec 2025	1,940.00
Nov 2025	1,998.00
Oct 2025	1,968.00
Sep 2025	1,955.00

The selected period in numbers.

monthly observations · 2021-08-01 to 2026-08-01 · USD / tonne · World Bank Pink Sheet

Lowest observation1,842

Highest observation2,414

Mean observation2,078.82

Stored observations61

First-to-last change-23.16%

High and low mean the highest and lowest stored observations, not intraday trading extremes. The mean is an unweighted average of those observations. Missing dates are not filled in.

Lead by weight.

Custom weight & purity →

Common fine-metal weights

Uses the latest reference of the frequency selected above. Values exclude product premiums and fees.

Lead values at common fine-metal weights
Fine weight	Reference value (USD)
1 gram	0.00
10 grams	0.02
1 troy ounce	0.06
100 grams	0.19
1 kilogram	1.85

Fine weight versus gross weight

The reference values assume the entire weight is the specified metal. For an alloy, multiply net metal weight by its fineness divided by 1,000 before applying a fine-metal price. Deduct stones or non-metal parts first. A plated item cannot be valued as though all its weight were the surface metal.

A troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams. An ordinary ounce is 28.349523125 grams. A metric tonne is 1,000 kilograms. Use the weight worksheet to compare units or an entire batch.

For a purchase, compare the invoice with the premium calculator. For recovered metal, review deductions in the scrap payout calculator.

Refined lead and battery recovery are different calculations

A refined lead reference is not a direct buyback price for a used battery. A battery contains other materials and needs appropriate handling and recovery. The chart describes the published metal series; a physical offer depends on the material and the buyer’s actual terms.

Battery applications

Lead-acid batteries are an important use of lead. New production and replacement activity provide context for material demand.

Recovered supply

Used products can supply recoverable lead. Recovery yield and processing costs affect the value of those products.

Material and delivery terms

Refined quality, alloy composition, location and transaction costs can separate a physical offer from the displayed benchmark.

Make comparisons meaningful

Zinc, copper and aluminium provide other base-metal histories. Use the same frequency and shared observation dates when comparing percentage changes.

In the comparison chart, each series starts at 100 on its first shared date. This compares percentage movements rather than equating the price of a tonne with the price of an ounce. For a physical transaction, also match quality, currency and delivery conditions.

Which product are you comparing?

Lead product specifications to compare
Product	What to check
Refined lead	Match purity and delivery terms with the reference.
Lead alloys	Account for composition and alloy-specific pricing.
Used batteries	Use a qualified buyer’s terms; gross battery weight is not fine lead weight.

Recent yearly averages.

Download annual USD data ↓

Original USD per metric tonne. These figures average the available monthly observations. They are not year-end closes or the mean of all daily prices. This archive retains the original source unit regardless of chart display settings.

Lead recent yearly averages
Year	Average (USD)	Monthly observations	Coverage
2026	1,919.25	8	Partial period
2025	1,962.25	12	12 complete monthly observations
2024	2,069.42	12	12 complete monthly observations
2023	2,135.75	12	12 complete monthly observations
2022	2,150.50	12	12 complete monthly observations
2021	2,200.42	12	12 complete monthly observations
2020	1,824.92	12	12 complete monthly observations
2019	1,996.58	12	12 complete monthly observations
2018	2,240.42	12	12 complete monthly observations
2017	2,314.67	12	12 complete monthly observations

Partial averages can change as observations are added. Do not compare an incomplete year with a full year as though the coverage were identical.

Questions about lead prices

Is the Lead price live or a reference?

This page uses World Bank monthly reference averages; a daily series is not available here. The displayed label, source and timestamp identify the observation. Polling a source does not make its underlying publication more frequent.

What can affect the Lead price?

Battery applications: Lead-acid batteries are an important use of lead. New production and replacement activity provide context for material demand. Recovered supply: Used products can supply recoverable lead. Recovery yield and processing costs affect the value of those products.

Which Lead products need separate specifications?

Refined lead: Match purity and delivery terms with the reference. Lead alloys: Account for composition and alloy-specific pricing. These product differences mean one headline reference cannot price every physical transaction.

What do monthly and yearly Lead prices mean?

Monthly values retain the World Bank source averages rather than being rebuilt from a different daily feed. Yearly values average those monthly observations. The table flags incomplete coverage. A period average is different from a closing price.

How do I value a custom amount of Lead?

Use the lead value calculator for weight, fineness and currency, then inspect its scenario chart and weight table. A contained-metal estimate excludes unentered premiums, fees and non-metal components.

Where does lead come from?

China led estimated lead mine output in 2025, followed by Australia. Peru, the United States, Russia and India each supplied much smaller volumes. See the lead production map and table.

How does lead move from mines to users?

Teck produces lead concentrate at Red Dog and refines lead at Trail Operations. Refined lead goes into lead-acid batteries, radiation shielding, cable protection and specialised low-alpha products. Follow the documented lead routes; they are explanatory relationships rather than live cargo tracking.

What is lead used for?

Lead-acid batteries accounted for an estimated 67% of US lead consumption in 2025. Recycling is central because used batteries return large quantities of metal to secondary refineries. The end-use section separates the cited applications.

Sources and further reading

World Bank commodity data — monthly reference histories and source documentation.
USGS commodity statistics and information — material uses, supply and industry context.
price-chart.com methodology — validation, timestamps, period averages and conversions.

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