Abstract: An anode rough cleaning system has three rough cleaning stations and an overhead conveyor to move spent anode assemblies sequentially through the three stations. The overhead conveyor supports each spent anode assembly in a hanging vertical position with the carbon butt suspended therebeneath. A first station is a vibrating station which vibrates the carbon butt to separate the bath material from the carbon butt. The vibrating station has an inclined surface and a vibrating surface. The overhead conveyor is arranged over the inclined and vibrating surfaces to drag the carbon butt up the inclined surface, causing the spent anode assembly to rotate from the vertical position to an angled position, and then across the vibrating surface with the spent anode assembly in the angled position. A second station is a scraping station positioned downstream of the vibrating station. The scraping station has at least one scraper to scrape the bath material from the carbon butt and stub.