The FAST Pb Process and Its Impact on Secondary Lead Production

Abstract

Today, all lead is produced in pyrometallurgical plants. Secondary lead production is assuming a growing importance but requires to be updated to comply with the more and more stringent regulation that is going to be implemented in the future. Engitec, involved for a long time in the development of an hydrometallurgical lead production, finally, has demonstrated that the recovery of lead from battery paste through electrochemistry is technically and economically viable through campaigns run on the FAST Pb Process demo plant. The latest development was based on the use of non-desulphurized paste learning that the presence of sulphates in the electrolyte can be controlled and is not causing any additional technical problem if not the consequent removal of sulphates from the electrolyte. This new approach heavily impacts on the new way of operating the whole battery recycling process simplifying the flowsheet through the removal of some problematic units and achieving a further reduction in the environmental impact.