To facilitate leaching with hydrochloric acid in a refining stage and moreover to smoothly execute the subsequent alkali fusion by adding alloy elements having the low melting point to Ir-contg. scrap, melting and alloying them, leaching the obtd. alloy lumps with hydrochloric acid, separating and removing the added elements and making them into coarse Ir powder.

The recovering and refining of Ir is executed as follows. Ir- contg. scrap is roasted to remove organic matters and dust. Next, one or more kinds among Mn, Zn and Cu are added to the scrap, and they are melted and alloyed in a crucible. At this time, the content of Ir is controlled to ≤40%. After the melting, it is cast into a mold and is crushed by a hammer to form small lumps, and they are leached with hydrochloric acid. Then, filtering is executed to obtain fine Ir coase powder. The supernatant is transferred to a waste soln. treating stage. Na2O2 or the like is added to the Ir coarse powder, and alkali fusion is executed. Moreover, it is subjected to a reaction stage in which hydrochloric acid is added thereto, and ammonium chloride is added to the filtrate and a roasting stage to form spongelike Ir having high purity.