Process for the catalytic incineration of residual gases containing a low content of at least one sulfur compound selected from COS, CS.sub.2 and the mercaptans and possibility at least one member of the group

A process for the catalytic incineration of residual gases containing a low content of at least one sulfur compound selected from COS, CS.sub.2 and mercaptans, comprising:

• hydrogenating the residual gas to react said sulfur compound contained therein to form H.sub.2 S;
• and contacting the hydrogenated residual gas with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst at a temperature between about 150.degree. C. and 570.degree. C. to thereby oxidize H.sub.2 S to SO.sub.2, wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises a porous support having a surface area of at least 5 m.sup.2 /g consisting essentially of from 50 to 100% by weight of at least one composition selected from the group consisting of titanium oxides expressed as TiO.sub.2, zirconium oxides expressed as ZrO.sub.2, silica, zeolites and mixtures thereof and from 50 to 0% by weight alumina, an iron compound and at least one compound of a precious metal selected from the group consisting of rhodium, palladium, iridium, and platinum, in an amount such that the iron content of the catalyst is between 0.1 and 15% by weight and that the ratio of the number of iron atoms to the number of precious metal atoms is between 20 and 1,000.