Abstract: A method for recovering nickel from waste materials containing nickel is described which comprises the steps of(a) subjecting a mixture of the waste material and a nickel-containing ore to oxidizing conditions at an elevated temperature,(b) melting the oxidized mixture,(c) subjecting the melt to reducing conditions, and(d) recovering the desired nickel.More particularly, an inexpensive method is described for increasing the nickel content and/or production of ferronickel obtained from nickel-containing ores using waste nickel materials such as spent nickel catalysts. The invention also provides a novel method for recovering nickel from spent catalyst systems which otherwise often have to be discarded because of contaminants and for using the heat values of the contaminants in the process.