Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing used batteries, especially zinc-carbon and alkali-manganese batteries, in order to recover any usable or environmentally relevant substances, comprising the mechanical reduction of the initial material followed by the separation of the battery granulate thus obtained into a fine and a coarser fraction. The coarser fraction is further separated into a magnetic and a non-magnetic part, followed by principally wet chemical steps to sort out the fractions containing the individual useful or environmentally relevant substances and their separation.