Abstract <p>The study is focused on the physicochemical patterns governing the sorption of a number of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions by a coal-mineral sorbent based on rice husk. To understand and interpret the chemistry of the sorption process, the effect of pH on the sorption of these ions is studied. Changes in the sorption capacity with a sequential increase in the solution-to-sorbent ratio are studied. The α = <i>f</i>(<i>V</i>/<i>m</i>) functional dependence is determined to predict the effect of the ratio on the recovery of metal ions by the synthesized sorbent. The sorption isotherms are processed in terms of the known models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Dubinin–Astakhov, BET). It is found that an increase in temperature leads to a decrease in the sorption capacity with respect to these ions. The differential heats of adsorption at different coverages of the sorbent are calculated to characterize the energy properties of the sorbent surface and identify the features of intermolecular interactions in the surface layers. The kinetics of changes in metal ion sorption is discussed, and the time to the establishment of sorption equilibrium is determined. The contribution of external and internal diffusion to the sorption process is studied using the Boyd and Morris–Weber models. The studies show that metal ion sorption on the synthesized sorbent is a combination of physical sorption and chemical adsorption processes, in which reversible specific interactions take place. It is revealed that ions of this series exhibit different sorbabilities and can undergo different interactions with the sorbent surface depending on sorption conditions. The synthesized sorbent can be effectively used to recover low concentrations of heavy metal ions from aqueous media.</p>