This paper describes some of the techniques, or unit operations, which appear to have promising potential for commercial recovery of nonferrous metals from municipal refuse. Included are the wet processes of jigging, water elutriation, and heavy media and the dry processes of eddy-current separators and electrostatic separators. A brief description of the operating principal of each is given with typical data to illustrate operating performance. The processes described have been used in various commercial-scale operations or are scheduled for use in commercial-scale operations in the near future.