Process for recovering the carbide metal from metal carbide scrap

This invention relates to a process for recovering the carbide metal from metal carbide scrap. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved process for recovering tungsten from tungsten carbide scrap. The process of the present invention relates to a process for recovering the carbide metal from metal carbide scrap wherein the metal is tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium or molybdenum, and this process comprises (A) providing a mixture comprising the metal carbide scrap and at least a stoichiometric amount, based on the amount of carbide metal present in the scrap, of an alkali metal hydroxide, (B) heating the mixture in the presence of oxygen at an elevated temperature and pressure for a period of time sufficient to form a water soluble alkali metal salt of the carbide metal, and (C) recovering the water soluble alkali metal salt.