Abstract: A method (10) for the extraction and recovery of vanadium from its ores, the method (10) characterised by the steps of: (i) Acid leaching (12) of an ore containing vanadium and iron to extract vanadium and iron into solution; (ii) Passing the product (78) of the leach step (i) to a solid/liquid separation step (80); (iii) Passing the liquid product (82) of separation step (ii) to a solvent extraction step (14) in which vanadium and iron are extracted into an organic extractant from that liquid product; (iv) Passing the loaded organic extractant produced in step (iii) to a stripping step (16, 18) in which acid is used to selectively and sequentially strip the vanadium and iron from the organic extractant; and (v) Passing the vanadium containing strip solution of step (iv) to a recovery step (104).