The transport of Au(III) ions through a chloroform bulk liquid membrane containing tetrathia-12-crown-4 as a specific ion carrier was studied. Gold(III) is quantitatively transported across the liquid membrane in the presence of thiocyanate as a suitable stripping agent in the receiving phase, the amount of gold transported across the liquid membrane after 90 min is (99+/-2)%. Excellent gold ion selectivities relative to a wide variety of alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions were observed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.