This thesis deals with the recycling of cemented carbide scrap based on tungsten carbide with cobalt binder (WC-Co). Due to the high economic relevance of tungsten, this refractory metal belongs to the group of critical raw materials. The comparatively high ratio of Austrian imports to worldwide W production also underscores its relevance for Austria's economy. The zinc process, which represents a direct recycling method, destroys the composite material and converts it by milling to powder of the same composition level. The aim of this work constitutes an analysis of the resulting intermetallic phases and a representation of the dissolution rate of individual carbide samples at their treatment with liquid zinc. A metallographic study and a computer-assisted statistical evaluation of the dissolution rate provide a comparison of the disintegration behaviour at different temperatures, annealing durations, binder contents and WC grain sizes. On the basis of the MODDE 12 adapted mathematical model for the description of the results, the influences of the individual parameters and their interaction as well as the overall overview of the disintegration with diagrams could be illustrated. However, in order to confirm and evaluate the findings and trends gained, further detailed research work is necessary.