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Why can old lead-acid batteries be a source of recycled antimony?

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A labeled periodic table entry for antimony shows its symbol Sb, atomic number 51, atomic weight 121.76, electron configuration, and name. It is a solid, weakly acidic other metal with a rhombohedral crystal structure at room temperature. — antimony Properties of antimony.

Old lead-acid batteries are a significant source of recycled antimony because the metal is intentionally added to the lead used in their construction. Specifically, antimony is alloyed with lead to create antimonial lead, which provides the necessary strength and hardness for the grids and terminals of lead-acid storage batteries.123

During the recycling process, these battery plates are smelted to recover the lead-antimony alloy. This secondary lead, which contains small percentages of antimony, is then refined and often resold to battery manufacturers to produce new units. Because the recycling of spent batteries is supported by stringent environmental regulations, this process serves as a reliable and important supply chain for reclaiming antimony.45