The present study has been undertaken to investigate a process that might remove inorganic mercury from mine waste water streams by use an ion exchange resin system. A number of commercial resins have been evaluated as ion exchangers and the mercury content of the waste water, ranging from 70 to 90 ppm, is reduced to a permitted level of 34 ppb. Dowex XZS-1, a strong cationic ion exchanger in a gel Form, has the most pronounced selectivity for mercury. The loaded resin was regenerated efficiently using HCl solutions, due to increased competition between Hg and hydronium ions and formation of an HBCl42- ionic complex.