Method of recovering metal carbides

摘要

Selected portions of metal carbide are recovered from scrap material containing pieces of cemented metal carbide having various compositions of metal carbide distributed in a matrix material. The scrap material is treated with a suitable liquid for a sufficient period of time to dissolve the matrix material and form a piece of matrix depleted metal carbide which is introduced as a feed into a ferrofluid material. A magnetic field is passed through the ferrofluid for positioning pieces of metal carbide of the type having a heavier density spaced from pieces of metal carbide of a lighter density. The separated portions of matrix depleted metal carbide are collected to produce metal carbide powder which may be further reprocessed to produce a desired cemented metal carbide.