To a suspension of rare-earth phosphors and sulfidic or selenidic phosphors there is added about 1 to 2% of the amount of hypohalogenite which would be necessary to convert the entire sulfidic or selenidic chalcogenide phosphor into a soluble sulfate and/or selenate. When acidifying the dispersion to which hypohalgenite has been added, to a pH value of preferably between 1.5 and 2, a sedimentation of elementary sulphur and/or selenium forms and becomes attached to the sulfidic and/or selenidic phosphor solids, thus causing these phosphor solids to form sediment. The supernatant suspension containing the rare-earth phosphor is then decanted, and the rare-earth phosphor is reclaimed from the suspension.The disclosed reclaiming process is particularly suitable for decontaminating phosphor mixtures for use in manufacturing color television cathode-ray tubes.