Abstract: Process for heat treating articles by hardening them in a recirculating gas medium which is in contact with the treated articles, the hardening gas being cooled by means of a heat exchanger, of the type in which helium is used as hardening gas, and is stored under holding pressure in a buffer container, wherein at the end of a hardening operation, a helium load is extracted from the treatment enclosure, in final phase by means of pump until a primary vacuum is obtained, the extracted helium is brought to purifying pressure by means of a compressor associated to a mechanical filter, and the helium under purifying pressure is sent to a purifier in which impurities are removed, after which it is transferred, if desired, after recompression in the buffer container.