The role of zinc in the recycling of hard alloys is like a "chemical key" Why Zinc? Zinc is not merely a heating medium—it is the core chemical agent that enables the efficient separation of valuable tungsten carbide (WC) and cobalt (Co) from scrap cemented carbide. The process leverages a fundamental metallurgical principle: zinc and cobalt can form low-melting-point intermetallic compounds. How the Zinc Melting Process Works Penetration & Alloying: At temperatures between