Abstract: Whole or shredded lead-acid batteries, together with a quantity of sodium carbonate and water, are fed continuously into a rotating drum separator containing a charge of grinding balls. Agitation of the mixture, aided by the internal drum construction features, further breaks up and degrades the battery fragments, neutralizes any contaminating electrolyte, transposes the finer particles of lead sulfate into lead carbonate, and forms a heavy-medium suspension of the active material on which organic battery fragments float. The suspension of active material constantly overflows from the drum at one end and carries the organic fragments with it into a first trommel, while sinkable fragments of grid metal and other battery parts of lower grade antimonial lead alloy are mechanically removed at the opposite end and deposited in a second trommel.