Process for the production of lead hydrate or monoxide of high purity, from materials and/or residues containing lead in the form of sulphates, monoxides and/or other compounds, such as the paste coming from exhaust acid batteries, comprising the following steps of desulphurisation of the material and/or residue containing lead sulphate in an aqueous suspension with a suitable carbonate or hydrate in order to get conversion of the lead sulphate into a carbonate or hydrate, calcination of this desulphurised material and/or residue in order to get impure lead monoxide, followed by cooling and grinding, leaching of the impure lead monoxide by an aqueous solution of acetic acid followed by filtering to separate a solid residue, consisting mainly of non converted lead sulphate, from a lead acetate solution, precipitation of the lead acetate in solution by means of an alkaline hydroxide or alkaline-earth hydroxide, able to obtain soluble acetates, in order to get a precipitate, depending on the precipitation temperature, in the form of either lead hydrate or lead monoxide, followed by filtering of the obtained precipitate, separating a solution, at least one washing cycle and subsequent separation of the washing liquid, drying and optional calcination of the filtered and washed precipitate to get high purity lead hydrate or monoxide depending on the drying temperature.