The laboratory scale investigations on Cd2+ removal characteristics of waste manganese leach residue (wMNR), generated by reduction roasting - ammonia leaching of manganese nodules have been studied. Adsorption studies show rapid kinetics of Cd2+ adsorption. About 90% of total Cd2+ adsorption occurs within 15 min contact time and equilibrium is attained within 30 min. The quantity of Cd2+ adsorption increases with increase in leached residue dose but decreases with increase in initial Cd2+ concentrations. The adsorption is found to be dependent on initial pH of Cd2+ solution, which increases with increase in initial pH of the solution. Adsorption data are satisfactory fitted to the Langmuir isotherms. The loading capacity of Cd2+ on leached residue calculated from Langmuir data is 32.26 mg g(-1) at pH 5.5 and 303 K, which improves to 38.17 mg g(-1) at 323 K. Pseudo second-order kinetics is applicable for the Cd2+ adsorption. Thermodynamic studies indicate spontaneous (Delta G(0) = -3.88, -5.04 and -6.0 kJ mol(-1) at 303, 313 and 323 K respectively) and endothermic (Delta H-0 = 28.3 kJ mol(-1)) nature of adsorption. The activation energy for Cd2+ adsorption onto wMNR is calculated to be 50.76 - 65.14 kJ mole(-1), suggesting chemisorption type adsorbate-adsorbent interaction.