Does Pb have a future?

Lead is THE base metal. A 100kt byproduct at Cannington, similar future at Hermosa. Some instinctively wrinkle their noses at producing lead, yet lead acid batteries may well have a future, their features complimentary to other battery types.

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Lead-based batteries have been in industrial applications for over a hundred years and are well established in on-grid applications for grid operators and end-users. Because of their low upfront cost, deep-cycling lead-based batteries are used to provide these functions in many small-scale solar installations. Today, lead-based batteries are the dominant technology of the global rechargeable battery market by volume .

Work is being carried out to increase overall performance in all aspects through advanced active materials and lower-resistance designs. Lead-based batteries have the lowest upfront cost of all technologies and are well suited to providing services where the required depth of discharge is moderate (for example, peak shaving), as well as more intensive duty cycles depending on design and construction.

Thanks to significant R&D efforts since decades, lead batteries have offered continuous performance improvements. Research is under way that aims to provide increased cycle life, charge acceptance, discharge performance and cost reduction. Specific power will be improved with advanced additives to the active materials and lower internal resistance designs, while cycle life will be lengthened through design enhancements such as corrosion-resistant lead alloy materials and a more intelligent battery operation mode. Battery management systems may be applied to control charge and discharge to improve efficiency and increase battery life. Best in class lead batteries for renewable applications have a life of 15 years with regular deep cycling. Lead-based batteries, in common with nickel-based alkaline batteries, have aqueous electrolytes which makes them much less hazardous in a fire

At the end of their life, lead-based batteries are collected for recycling. Within the EU, close to 100% of lead-based batteries are returned and recycled in a closed-loop system. All components are recycled, and the lead in batteries does not enter into free circulation, but instead is collected and re-used to produce new batteries. The market for lead-based batteries in the EU is predominantly met with recycled material, with low demand for primary lead reserves.

https://www.eurobat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Battery_Energy_Storage_in_the_EU_report.pdf

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Many will seize on the last point, low demand for primary lead - yet that is Europe. Even with energetic recycling efforts there is genuine global demand. Not enough for this to ever be a boom material, yet with batteries desired everywhere, one can see duration.

Ash