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Lead Amalgam has been known for many thousands of years, even to mineralogists and other corporeal scientists in the Pre-Fall era, and took a variety of forms. When elemental liquid Mercury is introduced to many other metals, it is absorbed into their metallic structure and forms an amalgam alloy, depending on the amount of Mercury applied - this amalgamation process has many industrial uses. A mineral uncommon on Terra, literally called leadamalgam, is formed when this process occurs geologically in nature, creating a grey metallic mineral with a tetragonal crystal structure. The exotic reagent Lead Amalgam is a derivative of this amalgamation process, but performed in very specific conditions, and most crucially, in microgravity environments.
Lead Amalgam is created as a delivery mechanism for quickly applying an unbroken coating of lead to a surface, most commonly to absorb and attenuate radiation. Lead is one of the most dense stable metals, and has been used in radiation shielding for thousands of years, but is heavy, bulky, toxic and impractical in many situations where radiation hazards are uncommon. Lead Amalgam reduces the need to constantly wear heavy lead-lined suits or other protective gear by providing an emergency method of coating protective clothing or armour with lead to provide as-needed radiation shielding for short periods.
Lead Amalgam is made in a variety of ways, usually involving electromagnetic actuators or nanomachines. The process requires microgravity conditions, and is usually performed on board a starship or space station, with gravitic generators disabled during several key stages (which can be a significant inconvenience for the crew).
Careful handling of lead amalgam is required - application and subsequent flaking off of the lead layer can lead to microscopic lead particles, which may enter the body through the airways or be absorbed through the skin. Repeated exposure to elemental lead as a byproduct of Lead Amalgam use can lead to toxic quantities of Lead buildup in the body.
Lead Amalgam is a type of Exotic Reagent - an Exotic Substance related to Corporeal Science. A physrep of some kind of grey metallic or glittery gel, or a small container can be used to represent measures of this substance, small samples can represent one or two measures, while larger physrep samples can hold more.
A measure of Lead Amalgam can be applied to a lammied suit of Armour to provide some protection from Minor RADIATION Environments. This stacks with other sources of protection from RADIATION Environments. If you are entering a RADIATION Environment, the Encounter Referee will usually let you know, and may ask if you have any relevant protection. Even if the Environment effect is more powerful than this substance can protect from alone you will still have greater protection than none - you may be able to go longer before suffering a Condition, or may suffer a less severe version of a Hazard-related Condition. It is important to note that this substance does not protect against weapon attacks or other direct sources of harm - only to the more distributed hazard of an Environment. The boost provided by this substance wears off 1 hour after application. If your character is in an Environment causing RADIATION Conditions when this substance wears off, you should notify the encounter Referee, either as soon as is convenient, or at the end of the current encounter.
As with all Exotic Substances, a character with at least 1 rank in the relevant speciality (Corporeal Science in this case) can spend 1 minute of appropriate roleplaying to apply 1 measure of Lead Amalgam to a suit of Armour. After this roleplaying, they should unpeel the sticker that represents this substance, and stick it to the device's lammie.
