Method for treating lead anode slime

1. A method of treating lead anode slime, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a feed mixture comprising lead anode slime;

(b) smelting the feed mixture in a smelting furnace at a temperature above 1000° C. to smelt the feed mixture and to volatilize and remove at least part of antimony (Sb), fluorine (F) and arsenic (As) comprised in the feed mixture to obtain a first metal phase, a lead (Pb) slag and first process gas comprising volatilized Sb, F and As;

(c) cleaning the obtained first process gas in a venturi scrubber by contacting the said first process gas and a first venturi solution in the venturi scrubber to remove at least part of the Sb, F and As from the said first process gas to obtain a first cleaned process gas at least partly depleted of Sb, F and As and a second venturi solution comprising removed part of Sb, F and As;

(d) filtering at least part of the obtained second venturi solution to obtain a first venturi slime comprising Sb and a third venturi solution comprising F and As;

(e) adding a precipitation agent to the third venturi solution to precipitate at least part of F and As and filtering the precipitate to obtain a fourth venturi solution at least partly depleted of F and As and a F/As precipitate; and

(f) recycling the obtained fourth venturi solution to step (c) as a part of the first venturi solution.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(g) subjecting the first metal phase obtained in step (b) to oxidizing conditions to oxidize, volatilize and remove at least part of the remaining Sb, F and As and at least part of Pb comprised in the first metal phase to obtain a second metal phase, a first converting slag comprising Sb and Pb, and a second process gas comprising volatilized Sb, F, As and Pb; and

(h) introducing the obtained second process gas to the cleaning step (c).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(i) subjecting the second metal phase obtained in step (g) to oxidizing conditions to oxidize, volatilize and remove at least part of the remaining Sb, F and As and at least part of Pb comprised in the second metal phase to obtain a third metal phase, a second converting slag comprising bismuth (Bi), and a third process gas comprising volatilized Sb, F, As and Pb;

(j) cleaning the obtained third process gas in a venturi scrubber by contacting the said third process gas and a fifth venturi solution in the venturi scrubber to remove at least part of the Sb, F and As from the said the said process gas and to obtain a second cleaned process gas at least partly depleted of Sb, F and As and a sixth venturi solution comprising Sb, F and As; and

(k) filtering part of the obtained sixth venturi solution to obtain a second venturi slime comprising Sb and a seventh venturi solution comprising F and As.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(l) diluting the remaining part of the sixth venturi solution with process water to obtain a diluted venturi solution and recycling the thus obtained diluted venturi solution to the cleaning step (f) as a part of the fifth venturi solution.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(m) buffering the seventh venturi solution and recirculating the buffered venturi solution to the cleaning step (c) as a part of the first venturi solution.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:

(n) recycling the second venturi slime to the smelting step (b).

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein step (g) is accomplished by exposing the first metal phase to air.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lead anode slime comprises 25 to 50% w/w Sb, from 0.5 to 5% w/w F and from 0.2 to 10% w/w As, and optionally from 0.2 to 20% w/w bismuth (Bi).

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises adding coke breeze to the smelting furnace after smelting of the feed mixture at a temperature above 1000° C. to complete the reduction of the obtained smelt.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein feed mixture is added to the smelting step (b) in portions.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein temperature of step (b) is from 1150 to 1200° C.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the precipitation agent in step (e) is calcium oxide (CaO), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ), calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) or a mixture thereof.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the feed mixture further comprise recycled dust and/or materials recycled from downstream process steps.