A metal extractant comprising Formula (1) wherein R5, R6, R7 and R8 each independently are hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group, an electron withdrawing group, an electron donating group, or one or more of R5 & R6, R6 & R7, R7 & R8 are linked in such way as to form an optionally substituted ring; Y is N or CR9 wherein R9 is hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, optionally substituted hydrocarbyloxy, optionally substituted hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, optionally substituted hydrocarbylcarbonyloxy group, optionally substituted optionally substituted mono or dihydrocarbylaminocarbonyl group; Z is N or CR10 wherein R10 is hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, optionally substituted hydrocarbyloxy, optionally substituted hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, optionally substituted hydrocarbylcarbonyloxy group, optionally substituted optionally substituted mono or dihydrocarbylaminocarbonyl group; and tautomers or salts thereof, with the proviso that both Y and Z could be N provided that no more than one of Y or Z is N.