In the present study, the recovery of metal ions from industrial solid residues from a galvanoplasty industry (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was investigated by cationic and anionic ion exchange resins. The electroplating residues were composed of the metals Cu2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Ni2+, and Cr3+. The studies of sorption were conducted under batch and column conditions. Based on these studies, the sorption parameters and the breakthrough curves for both resins were determined. Studies of the sorption equilibrium and kinetics were also performed. The maximum sorption capacities q (e) (mg g(-1)) of the cationic resin were: Cu2+: 1.9, Fe3+: 0.6 and Al3+: 0.4. For the anionic resin, the maxim values of q (e) were Cu2+: 0.4 and Fe3+: 0.1. The Freundlich model was more adequate to describe the ion exchange equilibrium and the sorption mechanism fit the pseudo second-order kinetic model for both resins. The breakpoint of Cu2+ (100 ppm) occurred after passing 1,860 and 2,220 cm(3) of residue solution through 20.0 g of the resins (column with h:6.0 cm and d:4.3 cm, flow rate: 60 cm(3) min(-1)). The column regeneration was carried out for five sorption-desorption cycles using H2SO4 2.4 mol L-1 (cationic) and HCl 2.0 mol L-1 (anionic).