Abstract: A lead alloy for battery grids is disclosed. The lead alloy contains calcium with a relative concentration by weight of between 0.05% and 0.12%; tin with a relative concentration by weight of less than 3%; aluminum with a relative concentration by weight of between 0.002% and 0.04%; and barium comprising a relative concentration by weight of less than 0.02%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining a fine powder of dendritic cadmium, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:(a) electrolytic production of cadmium metal on an electrode, under conditions such that there is formed a sponge consisting of tangled polymorphic dendrites,(b) removal and washing of the sponge,(c) disintegration of the sponge in a pulpy medium under conditions such that the dendrites are released in order to obtain a dendritic powder of particle size essentially less than a specified limit.

Abstract: An electric furnace (containing an immersed electrode) and a process for the recovery of lead, arising especially from solid residues. Fines, which are a product of physically crushing spent batteries, are melted under not very reducing conditions in the presence of a small amount of carbon. This melting allows separating the crude lead and the lead-rich slag so as to remove sulphur in the form of sulphur dioxide and to optionally recover the crude lead. The lead-rich slag is then reduced with a suitable amount of carbon so as to separate the lead-free slag and the crude lead, which again can recovered.

Abstract: The present invention is a germanium compound having the following general formula I: ##STR1## in which n is a positive integer less than 50 when the general formula is linear and is between 3 and 50 when the general formula is cyclic, and preferably between 3 and 6, and the R radicals, which are identical or different, are chosen independently from hydrocarbyl radicals, or, the R radicals form a hydrocarbon chain optionally containing one or two heteroatoms, optionally substituted by one or more C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl radicals, which are optionally unsaturated, the compound of general formula I being, when it is linear, terminated by two radicals R.sub.3 Ge-- and R.sub.3 Ge--O-- respectively, provided that the different R radicals cannot simultaneously correspond to a methyl radical and when the general formula I is cyclic, the two radicals attach to the same germanium atom, cannot correspond to a divalent chain of the formula: ##STR2## Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 being chosen from methyl radicals or hydrogen atoms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for extracting thallium present especially in aqueous wastes of industrial origin.The process, which makes it possible to extract and recover thallium from a solution which contains it in the form of a salt of a strong inorganic acid, comprises a stage of bringing the said solution into contact with an ion exchange resin containing a thiol group.This process exhibits good selectivity in relation to salts of metals or metalloids which are usually present in industrial aqueous wastes.

Abstract: A distillation tray including a use with a distillation column tray and a heating chamber with each tray including a bottom pierced by a through hole and a rim surrounding the bottom and having at least one outside flank. The outside flank includes a plurality of relative projections regularly spaced apart along the rim and constituting undulations. The tray is applicable to metallurgy, and in particular to distilling metals such as zinc.

Abstract: A process to increase the content of germanium which is found in an iron hydroxide phase of an ore of the supergene type for later recovery by solvent extraction. The process comprises the steps of first crushing the ore, converting the ore to pulp, and then subjecting the pulp to a magnetic separation to give a magnetic fraction enriched in germanium. Also, the process can be used to increase the content of gallium which is found in a jarosite phase of an ore of the supergene type for later recovery by solvent extraction.

Abstract: A process of hydrometallurgical treatment of a solution of materials containing gallium and at least one metalloid from Group V of the periodic table of the elements which comprises adding hydrochloric acid and an alkali metal chloride or an alkaline earth metal chloride to said solution to form gallium chloride so that the concentration of chloride ions, not counting those bonded to gallium, is in a range of from 4 to 10 N and the acidity of said solution is in a range of from 1 to about 5 N. Then placing the adjusted solution in contact with an organic phase comprising at least one neutral pentavalent phosphorus compound having a phosphorus-oxygen double bond, wherein the gallium chloride is extracted by the organic phase and reextracting the gallium from the organic phase.

Abstract: A process for the hydrometallurgical treatment of an indium chloride solution and at least one element selected from the group consisting of tin and antimony comprises the following steps: a) adjustment of the free chloride ion content by addition of alkaline or alkaline earth chloride or a mixture thereof and of their acidity by the addition of hydrochloric acid; b) bringing said indium chloride solution into contact with an organic phase containing dry trialkyl phosphate; c) extraction of said organic phase by bringing the latter into contact with a 0.1 to 3 N hydrochloric acid solution to obtain an indium chloride solution; d) basic extraction using an alkaline metal hydroxyde. Application to extractive metallurgy and recovery of indium and accompanying elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of metal values contained in a ferric gangue.The process comprises the following stages:(a) dissolution of the metal values from the ferric gangue with sulphuric acid;(b) recovery of the metal value or values by a method which is known per se,(c) evaporation of the acid ferric solution resulting from stage (b) so as to increase the acidity to a value of between about 50 and 100%,(d) crystallization from this solution, at a temperature of between -10 and 50.degree. C., of a hydrated iron sulphate of formula Fe.sub.2 (SO.sub.4).sub.3.9H.sub.2 O.Application to the recovery of strategic metals.