A facile, low-cost and high-yield route was used for synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles/graphitic carbon nanostructures (MNPs/GCNs) adsorbents with adjustable GCNs structues, in which the cheap ion-exchanged resins and iron salts were adopted as the precursors. The synthesized MNPs/GCNs composites could be used as effective mobile adsorbents for removal of precious metal ions (Ag+ and Au3+). The adsorption quantity of the adsorbents for Ag+ and Au3+ ions is up to 7.88 mg/g and 7.92 mg/g, respectively, which is much higher than that of activated carbon. Notably, the adsorbents could be easily separated from solution with a commercial magnet due to the magnetic property, which is very beneficial to their practical application. The kinetics for Ag+ and Au3+ ions adsorption on MNPs/GCNs composites followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics. The XPS analyses demonstrated that the adsorbed Ag+ and Au3+ ions exsited in the form of the zero valence state silver and gold, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.