Evolution of Global Secondary Lead
Production
Huw Roberts
Abstract Secondary lead is recovered from scrapped lead–acid batteries, old leadsheathed cables, and lead sheet and a variety of industrial and metallurgical wastes.
A significant share of lead output from secondary sources derives from smelters
that also treat lead concentrates, so-called primary smelters, which make the task of
estimating the overall scale of secondary lead production more difficult. Estimating
the total volume of lead produced from recycling of scrapped batteries is further
complicated by the fact that some of this activity still occurs in the informal sector
in a number of countries. CHR Metals calculates that secondary lead production
accounted for around 50% of the global total of refined lead production in 1990, but
this share has now risen to just over 75%. This represents an increase from around
3 Mt in 1990 to 10 Mt in 2018. At the same time, global lead mine production has
grown from 3.2 Mt (lead in lead and bulk concentrates) to only 3.4 Mt in 2018. This
paper will trace the development of secondary lead production over the past 30 years
highlighting regulatory changes and the shift in regional patterns of output. More
particular focus will be on the changes in China over the past 15 years and, more
recently, elsewhere in Asia. Reasons for under-reporting of recycled lead production
will be examined. International trade in lead–acid battery scrap and other lead-bearing
secondary materials will be addressed and consideration given to the environmental
concerns and about such trade. The paper will conclude with a brief outlook for
secondary lead production.
Keywords Lead recycling · Lead–acid batteries · Lead smelting
Estimating Volume of Secondary Lead Production
There is no accurate data for the volume of refined lead and alloys recovered globally
from recycling lead–acid batteries, other lead scrap, and various industrial wastes
and metallurgical residues. CHR Metals estimates that 10 Mt of lead were produced
H. Roberts (B)
CHR Metals Limited, 11 Church Street, Godalming GU7 1EQ, UK
e-mail: huw.roberts@chrmetals.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_1
3
Production
Huw Roberts
Abstract Secondary lead is recovered from scrapped lead–acid batteries, old leadsheathed cables, and lead sheet and a variety of industrial and metallurgical wastes.
A significant share of lead output from secondary sources derives from smelters
that also treat lead concentrates, so-called primary smelters, which make the task of
estimating the overall scale of secondary lead production more difficult. Estimating
the total volume of lead produced from recycling of scrapped batteries is further
complicated by the fact that some of this activity still occurs in the informal sector
in a number of countries. CHR Metals calculates that secondary lead production
accounted for around 50% of the global total of refined lead production in 1990, but
this share has now risen to just over 75%. This represents an increase from around
3 Mt in 1990 to 10 Mt in 2018. At the same time, global lead mine production has
grown from 3.2 Mt (lead in lead and bulk concentrates) to only 3.4 Mt in 2018. This
paper will trace the development of secondary lead production over the past 30 years
highlighting regulatory changes and the shift in regional patterns of output. More
particular focus will be on the changes in China over the past 15 years and, more
recently, elsewhere in Asia. Reasons for under-reporting of recycled lead production
will be examined. International trade in lead–acid battery scrap and other lead-bearing
secondary materials will be addressed and consideration given to the environmental
concerns and about such trade. The paper will conclude with a brief outlook for
secondary lead production.
Keywords Lead recycling · Lead–acid batteries · Lead smelting
Estimating Volume of Secondary Lead Production
There is no accurate data for the volume of refined lead and alloys recovered globally
from recycling lead–acid batteries, other lead scrap, and various industrial wastes
and metallurgical residues. CHR Metals estimates that 10 Mt of lead were produced
H. Roberts (B)
CHR Metals Limited, 11 Church Street, Godalming GU7 1EQ, UK
e-mail: huw.roberts@chrmetals.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_1
3