This article presents the optimal results of new sorbents for the sorption separation of nickel and cadmium ions based on waste of plant raw materials of the Republic of Kazakhstan - pine sawdust. To obtain activated carbon, pine sawdust based on plant waste was subjected to thermal treatment by carbonization methods at a temperature of 600-800 ° C and hydrothermal 220-260 ° C. Further, to increase the specific surface area, the samples after heat treatment were activated with hot water vapor at a temperature of 800-850 ° C for 1 hour. As a result of steam-gas activation, combustion of unstructured carbon and an increase in pores on the surface of activated carbon occur. In addition, the main physicochemical characteristics, sorption properties of the obtained activated carbon (specific surface area, m2 /g, fraction of pore volume, cm3 /g, average pore size, nm, sorption capacity by the amount of iodine,%) are considered. Also, the obtained sorption materials were studied in the process of sorption of nickel and cadmium ions from model solutions in a static mode. The optimal parameters of the sorption process were determined, at which the highest degree of extraction of nickel and cadmium ions is achieved: pH, phase contact time, ratio of solid and liquid phases. The recovery rate of cadmium and nickel ions in the static regime was more than 95% for cadmium and nickel. Keywords: activated carbon, sorbent, sorption, plant waste, nickel ion, cadmium ion