Complete information on Production and Consumption of Lead in India

Native lead is rare and the only commercial source of the metal is galena which is usually found in veins and masses in many crystalline rocks (schist’s). It also occurs in the pre-Cambrian rocks and the Vindhyan limestone’s. Lead is a metal which effec­tively resists corrosive effects of atmospheric gases and acidic substances and it is, therefore, largely used for coating iron-sheets, sheathing cables, lining acid tanks etc.

The major uses of lead are in the manufacture of storage batteries, lead pigments, paints, ammunition and in gasoline. It is alloyed with many other metals to produce brass, bronze, casting metal, type metal, soft solder, pewter, etc.

It is also used as plumbing material in glassware, musical instruments, automobiles, aero planes, electric wires, typewriters and calculating machines. Hard lead or lead mixed with antimony is utilised in making sharpened balls and bullets and also for packing purposes. Lead acetate is utilised as a medicine and lead nitrate in calico printing and dying.

The total proven reserves (all grades) of lead and zinc in the country are estimated at 383 million tones. Of this, 176 million tones with 2.17 percent lead (Pb) and 8.16 per cent zinc (Zn) are believed to be in the ‘mineable’ category (Hindu Survey of Indian Industry 1998. p.274).

Mineral resources Production

India produced a small quantity of 1,812 tonnes of lead valued at Rs. 15 Lakh in 1951. Since then there is gradual increase in the output of the lead and after 1981 sharp increase in the production has been recorded. The current (2002-03) production of 59,132 tones is more than 32 times of the 1951 output (Table 17.XXII).

Rajasthan-Rajasthan is the leading producer of lead accounting for 94.3 8 percent of the country’s production (in 2002-03). TheZawarregion in Udaipur District is the most important lead producing region in India. There are three mineralised zones around Zawar-the Mochia Mogra, the Baroi-Bawa hills, and the Zawarmala hills.

The Zawar ores geologi­cally belong to the class of metasomatic replace­ments containing argentiferous galena. The rocks are quartzite’s, dolomites, slates and pyrites of Aravali System with proved reserves at 100 lakh tones with metallic content of 3.37 percent of lead and 3.64 per cent of zinc.

In Rajasthan deposits of lead are also found in the Dariba-Rajpura area ot Bhilwara district (re­serves 20 million tones with 3.5% of lead and 6.5% of zinc); Taragarh hills, Ganeshpura and Sawar in Ajmer district; Jodhawas in Alwar district; Goj in Banswara district; near Ghauthka Barwa and Banjari in Sawai Madhopur district; and in Pali district.

Others

Apart from Rajasthan deposits of lead are also found in following areas:

Orissa-Sambalpur, Kalahandi and Sundargarh districts.

Andhra Pradesh – Cuddapah (Zangamarajupalle), Guntur, Kurnool andNalgonda districts.

ISihar-Jharkhand-Hazaribag (Hatasu, Parasia, Naytand, Baragunda and Baramasia areas), Bhagalpur (Dudiar and Gauripur areas), Santhal Parganas (Sankera hills, Panchapahar and Bhaikuhi areas), Ranchi district (Kumbakhera), and Singhbhum (Pahardia) districts.

Karnataka-Chitradurg, Bellary and Gulbarga districts.

Tamil Nadu-North Arcot (Alongayam area), and South Arcot (Mamandur area) districts.

Madhya Pradesh – Chhattisgarh- Durg (Chicholi), Jabalpur, Raipur, Bastar, Datia, Shivpuri, Jhabua and Hoshangabad districts.

Uttaranchal-Kumaun(Dasoli,Chandak,Rai, Dhanpur, Ralam.Bainskalarea), Almora(Chennaponi and Bilaun areas), Tehri Garhwal (in the valleys of Tons river, chiefly from Kuma, Burailaand Mudhaul); and Dehra Dun districts.

Maharashtra-Bhandara (Chichgarh) and Nagpur (near Anjni) districts.

Himachal Pradesh-Mahasu, Kangra and Sirmur districts.

Gujarat-Ban askant ha, Panchamahals, Vadodara and Surat districts.

Meghalaya-Khasi and Jaintia hills district.

West Bengal-Jalpaiguri and Purulia districts.

Haryana-Ambala district.

Consumption and Trade

Lead consumption in India rose from 24,000 tons in 1960-61 to 78,000 tons in 1991-92 and 100,000 tons in 1996-97. This shows steep rise in the demands of this metal in recent years. A com­parison of this demand with actual production (Ta­ble 17.XXIII) shows that there is a deficit of about 40,000 tones which is met by import from outside. Bulk of the import comes from Iran (48%), Poland (20%), Australia and Canada (7%) followed by Morocco and Myanmar. In 1993-94 India imported 24,404 tons of lead valued at Rs. 16.32 crores.

At present there are two lead smelters in public sector located at Tundoo in Bihar (capacity 8,000 tons per annum), and at Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (capacity 10,000 tons per annum).

A joint venture with an Australian company has been proposed to undertake mineral exploration work in Rajasthan for which a MoU has already been signed. The Indian Lead Ltd. (ILL) has planned to produce about 24,000 tons of lead from recycled metal.