Recovery of tungsten from heavy metal alloys

A method for reclaiming tungsten metal from heavy metal alloys of the type having tungsten metal dispersed throughout a matrix material comprising treating a heavy metal alloy with zinc for a sufficient period of time at a sufficient temperature to form a molten mixture comprising tungsten metal, zinc and matrix material, and separating zinc from said molten mixture to form a powder containing tungsten metal, said heavy metal alloy consisting essentially of 80 to 95 percent tungsten metal and the balance a matrix material selected from the group consisting of chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, mixtures and alloys thereof.