Abstract: A process for the recovery in a usable condition of one or more components of grinding swarf comprises grinding and screening the swarf where necessary, mixing and washing it first with a hydrocarbon or chlorinated hydrocarbon combined with a surfactant and the removal of the bulk of the resulting solution is effected, following which the resulting swarf is then washed one or more times with a solvent for grease and oil with no added surfactant. Again the bulk of the resulting solution is first removed leaving a product moist with some remaining solution. This product is then heated in a closed environment to remove the residual solution by volatilization. Depending on the component in the original swarf which is to be recovered, magnetic separation of the steel from abrasive particles may be effected at some stage, and abrasive grains of different compositions can be separated. The used solvent without surfactant can be processed for reuse and the lubricant recovered.