The leaching kinetics of cerussite in alkaline medium was investigated with respect to experimental variables, such as sodium hydroxide concentration, temperature, particle size and stirring speed. Results showed that leaching reagent concentration and reaction temperature exerted significant effects on the extraction of lead, whereas particle size and stirring speed exhibited a relatively moderate effect on the leaching rate. The leaching process followed the kinetic law of the shrinking core model, and the dissolution rates were controlled by the surface chemical reaction with an apparent activation energy value of 43.79 kJ/mol. A corresponding dissolution kinetic equation was also proposed to describe the dissolution reaction. The results indicated that sodium hydroxide could be used as an effective leaching reagent for extracting lead from cerussite minerals.