A method for the recovery of a metal from a liquid medium containing the metal I solution or in finely divided insoluble from comprises contacting the medium with a functionalized polymer fiber capable of binding the metal and recovering the metal from the fiber. The polymer fiber is suitably a polyolefin, a fluorinated polyethylene, cellulose or viscose, which is functionalized by the radiation grafting of at least one monomer. The method is particularly suitable for the recovery of platinum group metals from process residues.