Editing Lead (section)

==== Confusion with tin and antimony ====
Since the [[Bronze Age]], metallurgists and engineers have understood the difference between rare and valuable [[tin]], essential for alloying with copper to produce tough and corrosion resistant [[bronze]], and 'cheap and cheerful' lead. However, the nomenclature in some languages is similar.  Romans called lead {{lang|la|plumbum nigrum}} ("black lead"), and tin {{lang|la|plumbum candidum}} ("bright lead"). The association of lead and tin can be seen in other languages: the word {{lang|cs|olovo}} in [[Czech language|Czech]] translates to "lead", but in Russian, its [[cognate]] {{lang|ru|олово}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|olovo}}) means "tin".{{sfn|Polyanskiy|1986|p=8}} To add to the confusion, lead bore a close relation to antimony: both elements commonly occur as sulfides (galena and [[stibnite]]), often together. Pliny incorrectly wrote that stibnite would give lead on heating, instead of antimony.{{sfn|Thomson|1830|p=74}} In countries such as Turkey and India, the originally Persian name {{lang|fa-Latn|surma}} came to refer to either antimony sulfide or lead sulfide,{{sfn|Oxford English Dictionary|loc=surma}} and in some languages, such as Russian, gave its name to antimony ({{lang|ru|сурьма}}).{{sfn|Vasmer|1986–1987|loc=сурьма}}