A spent and/or decommissioned lead-acid accumulator treatment plant may include: a grinder configured to receive a plurality of the accumulators and to output ground heterogeneous material; and separator devices, wherein each separator device is configured to receive respective input heterogeneous material and to extract therefrom at least two respective output fractions, wherein each output fraction is homogeneous or less heterogeneous than the input heterogeneous material, wherein the input heterogeneous material is the ground heterogeneous material or is an output fraction of another separator device. A first separator device may be configured to extract pastel as an output fraction. A second separator device may be upstream of the first separator device and may include a settler and an elutriator, configured to be inputted an output fraction settled in the settler and to extract therefrom a first lead-based metal fraction as one of the output fractions of the second separator device.

A process, for the selective heavy metal removal from iron- and/or steelmaking flue dust, including steps of: preparing a feedstock (FS) by blending or mixing a chloride precursor material (CPM) and ironmaking and/or steelmaking flue dust including heavy metals (ISFD), the heavy metals including Pb and Zn and optionally Cd; in a first reaction step in a first reactor reacting the CPM with the ISFD by thermal treatment of the FS at a temperature in a range of 700 C. to 950 C. removing at least 70 wt. % of Pb from the ISFD; in a subsequent second reaction step in a second reactor further reacting the CPM with the ISFD by thermal treatment of the feedstock FS at a temperature in a range of 850 C. to 1200 C.; and obtaining a solid material after the second reaction step. The invention also relates to a plant implementing the process.

A process for recovery lead including providing lead-bearing material. The lead-bearing material includes lead sulfate (PbSO.sub.4). The lead-bearing material is heated resulting in the formation of gaseous sulfur compounds and lead oxide. The gaseous sulfur compounds and the lead oxide are separated. The lead oxide is lanced with a hydrocarbon resulting in the formation of lead (Pb) and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The lead and the carbon dioxide are separated.