QUESTION: Where can a Syrian engineer buy a centrifuge machine to make 99% pure lead? 13 Sep 2008 Syrian Arab Republic

Dear Sir

I am Bassam Ahmad , I am mechanical engineer , I am from Syria .

Our company AES want to buy machine , this machine make Lead high pure about 99% , and this machine depend on centrifuge system .

Specifications machine is :

Yield on hour 8 kg

Can you send to me how much money this machine cost? If you have any information can help me please send it to me

Kind regards

Bassam Ahmad

EMAIL2 Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008  Subject: re : lead machine

Dear Elizabeth O'Brien

Thank you for concern I am fresh engineer , and I want to build a factory to recycling battery , so I want to buy machine for this reasons .

I do not have a lot of money so I began a small project .- what will the feed to the machine be?

Battery Scrap

if you have any suggestion , i wait to sent it to me

Yours Sincerely

Bassam Ahmad‍

ANSWER: 15 Sep 2008

Dear Bassam,

I have sent your question to a metallurgist at the largest lead smelter in the world but he needs more information from you in order to be able to answer your QUESTION:

• what will the feed to the machine be?
• exactly what are you trying to achieve?

the very low rate (8 kg/h) suggests something on a laboratory scale; is this a laboratory machine you are looking for?

The metallurgist wrote: "we do use a centrifuge for one particular molten lead / bismuth crust separation". Is that the kind of purification you are asking about?

I await your reply so that I may help you.

Yours Sincerely

Elizabeth O'Brien

EMAIL2 Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Dear Bassam,

There is no such thing as lead-safe AND inexpensive lead acid battery recycling. To recycle batteries in a way that does not pollute the environment and poison workers and the surrounding community takes an enormous capital investment in custom-designed equipment.

I have previously provided the following information to another person who was interested in setting up a Lead recycling plant. We have in our database a company that we can refer you to for the equipment. The company name is Engitec and some of their details including mission statement and website are as follows:

ENGITEC MISSION STATEMENT:

To provide our Clients with the most Innovative & Cost-Effective Technologies for the Clean and Safe production of valued goods from wastes or raw materials.

To study and develop new technologies for the clean and economic reuse of the industrial wastes. {Ref: http://www.engitec.com/company.htm }

On Lead pollution control regulations and setting up your plant, you would need to contact your state environment protection agency.

Also regarding setting up your plant, our database has a number of consultants in Australia who could be useful but again the specifics on the type of plant will be necessary for us to identify who is most relevant.

One possible consultant is Tarun Sabherwal whose contact is metchem_engg@yahoo.co.in and mobile telephone is +61432398682.

Another consultant is David Sinclair. The information we have on David is as follows:

David previously worked at Pasminco Cockle Creek Smelter in Australia and was involved in the Lead in Air Working Group of the state Lead Taskforce during the development of the state Lead Management Plan in 1993. He retired from Pasminco (called Zinifex as of 5/4/04 and Nyrstar currently) prior to July 2003. David is since doing consulting work. His email address is sinclairdf@optusnet.com.au and his mobile number is +61419885717.

Just in case you are interested, we received the email below in response to another enquirer's questions about used lead acid battery (ULAB) recycling (in Bangladesh), from Mick Roche of BHP Billiton's Green Lead Project.

All the best

Elizabeth O'Brien

From: Roche, Michael MT Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Subject: RE: Battery recycle plant

There is NO cheap and compact way to recycle ULAB and remain environmentally friendly - that is why we try to persuade people to collect the ULAB and ship or export them to an ESM Smelter.

However, one of the better value for money in new and environmentally sound smelting equipment, including all the environmental controls is from Dross Engineering - see their website at http://www.drossengineering.com/site-web/index.php?lang=en.

Regards,

Mick

EMAIL: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1:20 PM

Subject: Possible sources of assistance in setting up ULAB recycling facility

Dear Bassam,

I realized after I wrote the last email to you that it would have been more helpful if I told you that there are two industry organisations that are concerned about lead stewardship and might be able to provide some financial assistance or at least technical assistance for you, in setting up a used lead acid battery recycling facility in Syria:

1. International Lead Management Center, Inc.
   2525 Meridian Parkway, Suite 100, Research Triangle Park, NC 27713 USA
   Telephone: ++1 919-287-1872 Facsimile: ++1-919-361-1957; info@ilmc.org ; http://www.ilmc.org/english_text/t_about.html
2. International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
   35/38 Portman Square, London, W1H 6LR, United Kingdom
   Switchboard: +44 (0) 20 7467 5070, Main Fax: +44 (0) 20 7467 5071
   E-mail: info@icmm.com, Twitter: @icmm_com, LinkedIn, http://www.icmm.com

3. OK International - Occupational Knowledge International
   4444 Geary Boulevard, Suite 300, San Francisco CA 94118
   phone: (415) 221-8900, fax: (415) 221-8903 www.okinternational.org; info@okinternational.org

Occupational Knowledge International, "works to build capacity in developing countries to identify, monitor, and mitigate environmental and occupational exposures to hazardous materials in order to protect public health and the environment. The organization provides technical assistance through partnerships, training, and environmental audit and certification programs, with a commitment to public health tenets, scientific principles and corporate responsibility.

OK International offers the following programs:

• Plant/Product Certification
• Technical Assistance/ Grantmaking
• Environmental Education
• Exchange of Technology and Access to Technology
• Dissemination of Information

The purpose of the technology exchange program is to facilitate the exchange of environmental technology to countries with developing environmental programs and limited resources."

I wish you the best with your project.

Elizabeth O'Brien‍