Catalytic metal recovery from nonpolar organic solutions

A method for recovering Group VIII transition metal from a substantially non-polar organic solution containing non-polar organic solvent-soluble and polar solvent-insoluble coordination complex of the Group VIII transition metal and a non-polar organic solvent-soluble and polar solvent-insoluble organo-substituted ligand of a trivalent atom, which comprises contacting such non-polar organic solution with a polar solution containing polar solvent-soluble organo-substituted ligand of a trivalent atom capable of forming a coordination complex with the transition metal, thereby transferring said Group VIII transition metal from said organic solution into said polar solution.