Prepn. and properties of the silicides of Cr, Mo, W, Ta, and Zr are reviewed. New exptl. results and tentative phase diagrams are given for the systems Nb-Si and V-Si. The Nb-Si phases are NbSi2, a-Nb5Si3, and the high-temp. modification b-Nb5Si3 (stable above 2000 Deg); the phases Nb2Si and Nb4Si could not be confirmed. The V-Si phases are VSi2, V5Si3, and V3Si; V3Si exhibits complete mutual soly. with the isomorphous silicides Cr3Si and Mo3Si. All silicides of Nb and V are brittle and lack oxidn. resistance.