To provide a method for easily and securely producing a metal powder which contains a Co-Sn intermetallic compound of high purity obtained by compounding Co and Sn in an objective molar ratio and can improve the characteristics, for instance, of a secondary battery using a lithium ion when being applied to a material composing an electrode of the secondary battery using the lithium ion; the metal powder produced by such a method for producing the metal powder; an electrode obtained by using the metal powder; and the secondary battery using the lithium ion and having excellent service capacity and cycle properties.

This production method comprises the steps of: obtaining a primary powder which contains Co and Sn in the objective molar ratio; and heat-treating the primary powder at 160C to a temperature lower than 410C to change a Co-Sn intermetallic compound which has been compounded at a molar ratio other than the objective molar ratio, into the Co-Sn intermetallic compound (CoSn2 in the figure) which is compounded at the objective molar ratio, and thereby to obtain a secondary powder containing the intermetallic compound of high purity, which has been compounded at the objective molar ratio.