Extraction of Lu(III) from an aqueous LuCl 3 solution at pH 3.5 into an organic phase containing 5% (v/v) di(2ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (DEHPA) in di-n-hexyl ether (DHE) immobilized within a polypropylene hollow fiber membrane and a simultaneous back-extraction of Lu(III) into 2 mol dm −3 HCl solution has been investigated using two miniaturized supported liquid membrane (SLM) systems: (i) a single hollow fiber membrane, with stagnant acceptor phase in the lumen, immersed into a donor phase reservoir; and (ii) a U-shaped module containing a single hollow fiber membrane with a closedloop recirculation of aqueous phases through the module. In the stagnant SLM system, the maximum extraction efficiency was 8.8% due to limited acceptor volume and absence of flow within the lumen. In recirculating SLM system, after 80 min of operation at the donor phase flow rate of 5.3 cm 3 min −1 , the acceptor phase flow rate of 0.4 cm 3 min −1 and the donor-to-acceptor phase volume ratio of 6.7, the equilibrium removal efficiency of Lu(III) reached 88% and less than 5% of Lu(III) extracted from the feed solution was kept in the organic phase. For shell side flow of the donor phase at Reynolds numbers of Re = 3−34, the overall mass-transfer coefficient was proportional to the donor flow rate raised to the power of 0.63 and increased from 2.3 × 10 −5 m s −1 to 8.8 × 10 −5 m s −1 . The rate-limiting step was the mass transfer of Lu(III) within the boundary layer of the donor phase adjacent to the outer wall of the hollow fiber.