The diagram illustrates the process by which rock containing lead and other metals is transformed into lead bars.
Overall, the process consists of eight stages, beginning with mining the rock and ending with casting the purified lead into bars. These stages can be broadly grouped into three main phases: raw material preparation, production, and finalization.
The process begins when rock containing lead and other metals is mined and transported to a factory. Following this, the material is crushed, during which water is added. Once this crushing stage is complete, the mixture undergoes a mixing process in a tank, where water and pine oil are introduced to create a lead mixture.
Afterward, the process continues with a filtration stage. The next step involves refining the filtered material by heating it to approximately 1400°C, producing melted lead together with other metals and releasing waste gas. After being heated and refined, the molten mixture is then moved to a separation kettle, where unwanted metals are removed as waste. The sequence concludes when the purified lead is cast into bars, marking the end of the process.
