The FAST Pb Process and Its Impact
on Secondary Lead Production
Massimo Maccagni and Edoardo Guerrini
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.
Keywords Lead · Battery · Recycling · Electrolysis · Ammonium chloride
Introduction
We are living in the time of the “Circular Economy”, of which one of the most challenging aspects is the energy production and storage. Lead acid battery technology
is one of the oldest technologies and has a bad reputation public opinion but it was,
is, and will be one of the most important players in energy storage because of some
unquestionable advantages versus competing systems: it is well known, inexpensive, reliable, and fully recyclable. Furthermore, the existing lead output and mine
reserves, also because of the high lead recycling rates, guarantee sufficient material
for future growth.
M. Maccagni (B) · E. Guerrini
Engitec Technologies S.p.A., Via Borsellino e Falcone, 31, 20026 Novate Milanese (MI), Italy
e-mail: m.maccagni@engitec.com
E. Guerrini
e-mail: e.guerrini@engitec.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_50
581
on Secondary Lead Production
Massimo Maccagni and Edoardo Guerrini
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.
Keywords Lead · Battery · Recycling · Electrolysis · Ammonium chloride
Introduction
We are living in the time of the “Circular Economy”, of which one of the most challenging aspects is the energy production and storage. Lead acid battery technology
is one of the oldest technologies and has a bad reputation public opinion but it was,
is, and will be one of the most important players in energy storage because of some
unquestionable advantages versus competing systems: it is well known, inexpensive, reliable, and fully recyclable. Furthermore, the existing lead output and mine
reserves, also because of the high lead recycling rates, guarantee sufficient material
for future growth.
M. Maccagni (B) · E. Guerrini
Engitec Technologies S.p.A., Via Borsellino e Falcone, 31, 20026 Novate Milanese (MI), Italy
e-mail: m.maccagni@engitec.com
E. Guerrini
e-mail: e.guerrini@engitec.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_50
581