<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
UNAUDITED  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OF METAL  RECOVERY  TECHNOLOGIES  INC. FOR ITS
FISCAL  FIRST  QUARTER  ENDED MARCH 31, 1998 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                          0000796117
<NAME>                                         Metal Recovery Technologies, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1998
<CASH>                                         20
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  0
<ALLOWANCES>                                   0
<INVENTORY>                                    18
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               38
<PP&E>                                         3007
<DEPRECIATION>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 20461
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          7796
<BONDS>                                        0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    44
<COMMON>                                       40
<OTHER-SE>                                     65105
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   20461
<SALES>                                        0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               0
<CGS>                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  109
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               200
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                (309)
<INCOME-TAX>                                   0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            (309)
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   (309)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  (0.003)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>                                           ANTI-DILUTIVE
</FN>