Process for removing metals from hydrocarbons

A process for the removal of mercury from a mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed, the process comprising the steps of:

• (i) contacting the mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed with a metallate salt immobilised on a solid support material, where the metallate salt has the formula:
• [Q+][(Mx+)n(Ly−)m](nx−my)
• wherein:
• each Mx+ independently represents one or more metal cations selected from transition metal cations having a charge of x+;
• each Ly− independently represents a ligand having a charge of y−;
• n is 1,2 or 3;
• m is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8;
• x is 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;
• y is 1, 2, or 3,
• (nx−my) is a negative number, and
• [Q+] represents one or more inorganic cations having a total charge of (my−nx);
• and
• (ii) separating from the metallate salt a hydrocarbon fluid product having a reduced mercury content compared to the mercury-containing fluid feed.