Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering tungsten and rhenium from a tungsten and rhenium source. The process involves firing the source in an oxidizing atmosphere at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to convert the tungsten and rhenium to their respective oxides, to remove a portion of the rhenium as volatilized oxide, and to form a first fired material containing essentially all of the tungsten and the remaining portion of the rhenium, increasing the surface area of the resulting oxidized tungsten, and firing the first fired material in an oxidizing atmosphere at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to remove essentially all of the remaining portion of the rhenium as volatilized oxidized rhenium and to form an essentially rhenium-free oxidized tungsten.

Abstract: A process for converting tungsten bearing material to sodium tungstate by adding an oxidizing reactant in small increments to a heated mixture of fused sodium hydroxide and the tungsten bearing material while the temperature is maintained at from about 500.degree. C. to about 700.degree. C.

Abstract: In a process for recovering rhenium, a starting material containing tungsten and rhenium is reacted with sodium hydroxide and an oxidizing reactant to form a fused solid. The fused solid is dissolved in water to solubilize the tungsten and rhenium values and then pass through an anion exchange resin to remove the rhenium values and form a solution containing the tungsten values. The resin is stripped to obtain the rhenium values from the resin.