Silica gel bound to some amine derivatives such as semicarbazide, thiosemicarbazide, ethylenediamine and phenylenediamine as well as ion exchangers containing carboxylic groups derived from phthalic anhydride and succinic anhydride were synthesized, and their metal-uptake properties in aqueous solution were studied. The factors controlling and influencing the metal uptake capacity, such as shaking time and pH of the metal ion solution, were also determined to evaluate and compare the performance toward metal ion extraction. The data in this study show that the values of metal capacity of the silica gel-bound complexing agents are higher than those of the ion exchanger analogs, and those of the immobilized aliphatic diamines or acid derivatives are higher than the corresponding values of aromatic analogs. A method of recycling the synthesized phases after metal extraction processes, for the sake of further and successive use of the recycled phases, is also presented.