Recycling of used electric batteries during hydrometallurgical treatment

摘要

The invention concerns a method for treating electric cells for recovering upgradable elements, by combining basic washing to eliminate soluble salts and in particular chlorides through an attrition process, with ultrasound-aided sulphuric acid leaching in the presence of a reducing agent. The solution derived from said treatment is purified in two steps to separate mercury first and subsequently heavy metals. The resulting purified solution is treated to separate zinc and manganese which are respectively recovered in the form of neutral or basic zinc salt and manganese carbonate. The manganese carbonate is upgradable as such. In an embodiment of the present invention it is used as starting product for preparing manganese sulphate. In another embodiment, said manganese sulphate is used as starting product for making electroactive manganese dioxide for making cathodes of saline and alkaline Leclanché cells.