Lead and zinc are widely used across various sectors, including the electrical, machinery, military, metallurgical, chemical, light industrial, and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, lead has significant applications in the nuclear and petroleum industries. Over 80% of the world's lead is used in the production of lead-acid batteries.

Zinc is an important non-ferrous raw material, ranking third in consumption among non-ferrous metals after copper and aluminum. It exhibits excellent rollability, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, and can be alloyed with various metals to produce alloys with superior physical and chemical properties. Primary zinc manufacturers mainly produce zinc metal, zinc-based alloys, and zinc oxide, which have extensive applications in the following areas:

1. Galvanizing
        Used as an anti-corrosion coating (e.g., galvanized steel sheets), widely      applied in automotive, construction, shipbuilding, and light industries,      accounting for approximately 46% of zinc consumption.
        Zinc's excellent atmospheric corrosion resistance makes it ideal for      coating steel and structural components. Hot-dip galvanized alloys form a      uniform and dense protective layer of basic zinc carbonate (ZnCO₃·3Zn(OH)₂) upon      oxidation, which also prevents mold growth. Due to its strong resistance      to atmospheric corrosion, zinc alloy sheets are being used directly as      roofing materials in Western countries, with a service life of 120–140      years, and are fully recyclable. In contrast, galvanized iron sheets      typically last only 5–10 years.
2. Copper Alloy Production (e.g., Brass)
        Used in automotive manufacturing and machinery, accounting for about 15%      of zinc consumption.
        Zinc possesses suitable mechanical properties. While pure zinc has low      strength and hardness, the addition of alloying elements such as aluminum      and copper significantly enhances these properties. Zinc-copper-titanium      alloys, in particular, exhibit mechanical performance close to or on par      with aluminum alloys, brass, and gray cast iron, along with greatly      improved creep resistance. As a result, zinc-copper-titanium alloys are      widely used in hardware manufacturing.
3. Zinc Alloy Casting
        Primarily for die-cast components, used in automotive and light      industries, accounting for about 15% of zinc consumption.
        Many zinc alloys offer excellent processing performance, with a      single-pass processing rate of 60%–80%. They exhibit superior deep-drawing      properties and self-lubrication, which extends mold life. These alloys can      be welded by brazing, resistance welding, or arc welding (in a helium      atmosphere), and their surfaces can be electroplated or painted. They also      have good machinability and, under certain conditions, exhibit exceptional      superplasticity.

Additionally, zinc demonstrates effective resistance to electromagnetic fields. Its electrical conductivity is 29% that of standard electrolytic copper, making zinc sheets highly effective for shielding against radio frequency interference. Moreover, zinc is non-magnetic, making it suitable for instrument components, casings, and coinage. It also does not produce sparks upon impact with itself or other metals, making it ideal for underground explosion-proof equipment.