How To Get Lead Rates Using Python With An API

Do you want to know how to get lead prices in Python? Then use an API!

Let’s clear some things out first. When we talk about lead, we refer to a soft metal with a low melting point that is easy to produce and does not corrode easily, making it extremely useful. It’s also plentiful and simple to extract. Nonetheless, it has several non-metallic qualities.

As to their worldwide production, it’s important to highlight that China accounted for 46.7 percent of world lead mining output in 2019, while the United States accounted for 6%. Australia was also a major producer, accounting for 9.6 percent of world lead output. With this, worldwide lead output was predicted to reach 4.5 million metric tons that year. 

So, once we know all of this, we can definitely say that lead is one of the most important metals in the world, and investing in it can change your income. So, if you want to know how to stay updated on these types of rates in Python, then we’ll explain it to you.

Why Python?

Python is an interpreted high-level general-purpose programming language. Its design idea stresses code readability with extensive indentation. Besides, its language features and object-oriented approach are intended to help programmers write clear, logical code for small and large-scale projects alike.

How To Use An API

Know that you understand lead and Python, we can finally talk about APIs. This is an interface that connects two computers or applications and allows them to communicate. This way, you can obtain any kind of information with just a few simple clicks. 

APIs are used for many different reasons and almost every big platform makes use of them. Some of its most common uses are weather snippets, logging into a website with a Google account, Twitter bots, travel booking, and prices data. This last one is the one we are interested in.

But, how can you obtain an API? Well, it’s actually quite easy. You have to find a software that provides you with it and make use of it. There are a few online that can help you with this, but you should be careful with which one you use since not every one of them works the same way or provides the same type of data.

Finding an API is simple, but finding one that gives you lead prices in Python is harder. To help you with that, we highly recommend using Metals-API, one of the most popular and complete precious metals API in the world. It can obtain many different data and it can be really useful to your company.

To make use of it, you have to:

1. Create your own account at www.metals-API.com and obtain your API key.
2. Look for the lead (LEAD) and your preferred currency symbols.
3. Use these symbols to add metal and money to the list before executing the API call. 
4. Finally, you press the “run” button and you’re finished! The API will appear on your screen.

To obtain the Python information, you should use the Request module. It should look something like this:

import requests

    base_currency = 'USD'
    symbol = 'LEAD' 
    endpoint = 'latest'
    access_key = 'API_KEY'

    resp = requests.get(
        'https://metals-api.com/api/'+endpoint+'?access_key='+access_key+'&base='+base_currency+'&symbols='+symbol)
    if resp.status_code != 200:
        # This means something went wrong.
        raise ApiError('GET /'+endpoint+'/ {}'.format(resp.status_code))
    print(resp.json())

Once you’re finished, you can now adapt that API to your website or blog using the plugins displayed on the landing page of Metals-API.

About The Data

This API can provide precise exchange rate data for precious metals as well as 170 foreign currencies, including Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies. Besides, it can offer real-time precious metals data through API with a precision of 2 decimal points and a frequency of up to 60 seconds.

Metals-API only provides midpoint exchange rate data. Midpoint rates are calculated by taking the average median rate of Bid and Ask at a given moment.

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Also published on Medium.