Antimony can form a widely used alloy with lead. The hardness and mechanical strength of this alloy are both improved. In most occasions where lead is used, different amounts of antimony are added to make alloys. In lead-acid batteries, the additive can change the electrode properties and reduce the generation of by-product hydrogen during discharge. Antimony is also used in antifriction alloys (such as Babbitt alloy), bullets, lead bullets, wire jackets, type alloys (such as Linotype typesetters), solders (some lead-free solders contain 5% antimony), lead tin antimony alloys, and alloys with less tin for hardening pipe organs.

Antimony mainly exists in the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3) in nature. Antimony compounds are known to have been used as cosmetics in ancient times. Antimony metal is also recorded in ancient times, but it was mistaken for lead at that time. Around the 17th century, it was known that antimony was a chemical element.