Lead oxychlorides are found naturally in the minerals hereroite as Pb32O212Cl10, in rickturnerite as Pb7O4(OH)Cl3, in vladkrivovichevite as Pb32O18Cl14, in asisite as Pb7SiO4O4Cl2, in damaraite as Pb3Cl(OH)O2, in hereroite as Pb3Cl(OH)O2, in Mendipite as Pb3Cl2O2, and in the dimorph minerals laurionite and paralaurionite, which are PbCl(OH) members of the matlockite group.
The lead compounds were first fused, and the product then ground to fine powder.
The powder was then suspended in drying oils (e.g. linseed), to produce e.g. Pattinson's white (PbCl2 2Pb(OH)2) or Turner's yellow (PbCl2 5-7PbO).
In the late 19th century, lead oxychlorides were briefly used in the manufacture of electrodes for lead-acid batteries.
In a second step, the grooved sheet was covered with paper and horizontally suspended in a salt or acid solution, to which a zinc plate was then also added.