Process for the selective recovery of transition metals from an organic stream having a boiling point higher than or equal to 340°C and containing transition metals which comprises the following steps: a. melting up to the liquid state said organic stream and possibly a first extractor if solid, where said extractor consists of an ionic liquid or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, wherein said ionic liquid contains an ammonium salt as cation and an anion with chelating properties as anion; b. feeding to a first liquid-liquid extraction unit working at a temperature of at least 150°C said molten organic stream and said first extractor, optionally melted, and carrying out the liquid-liquid extraction, obtaining a liquid mixture containing an ionic liquid, or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, and the metals; c. after extraction, cooling at a temperature comprised between 0°C (zero degrees centigrade) and 70°C said liquid mixture, which after cooling is biphasic, and subsequently sending the biphasic mixture to a first liquid-solid separation unit, to separate a liquid phase that contains ionic liquids and metals, and a metal-depleted solid phase; d. after the first separation, the separated metal-depleted solid phase is optionally sent to a washing unit to which a solvent is fed, so as to eliminate the residual ionic liquid by keeping it in the solvent and obtaining a washed metal-depleted solid; e. sending the separate liquid phase containing ionic liquids and metals into a liquid-solid precipitation and separation unit and adding a counter-solvent, thereby obtaining a solid phase containing the metals and a liquid flow containing counter-solvent and ionic liquids characterised in that the ionic liquid is selected from: (1-butyl-3methylimidazolium)acetate, (1-butyl-3 methylimidazolium)dicyanoamide, (1-ethyl-3 methylimidazolium)salicylate, (1-ethyl-3 methylimidazolium)thiosalicylate. a. melting up to the liquid state said organic stream and possibly a first extractor if solid, where said extractor consists of an ionic liquid or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, wherein said ionic liquid contains an ammonium salt as cation and an anion with chelating properties as anion; b. feeding to a first liquid-liquid extraction unit working at a temperature of at least 150°C said molten organic stream and said first extractor, optionally melted, and carrying out the liquid-liquid extraction, obtaining a liquid mixture containing an ionic liquid, or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, and the metals; c. after extraction, cooling at a temperature comprised between 0°C (zero degrees centigrade) and 70°C said liquid mixture, which after cooling is biphasic, and subsequently sending the biphasic mixture to a first liquid-solid separation unit, to separate a liquid phase that contains ionic liquids and metals, and a metal-depleted solid phase; d. after the first separation, the separated metal-depleted solid phase is optionally sent to a washing unit to which a solvent is fed, so as to eliminate the residual ionic liquid by keeping it in the solvent and obtaining a washed metal-depleted solid; e. sending the separate liquid phase containing ionic liquids and metals into a liquid-solid precipitation and separation unit and adding a counter-solvent, thereby obtaining a solid phase containing the metals and a liquid flow containing counter-solvent and ionic liquids (1-butyl-3methylimidazolium)acetate, (1-butyl-3 methylimidazolium)dicyanoamide, (1-ethyl-3 methylimidazolium)salicylate, (1-ethyl-3 methylimidazolium)thiosalicylate.