The complexation of samarium(III) with humic acid was studied at concentrations between 10 5 M and 10~'° M by the separation of complexed from uncomplexed species with electrophoretic ion focusing or cation exchange chromatography, followed by the radiometric determination of the element in both fractions. The influence of humic acid concentration, pH-value, metal concentration and competing cations was investigated. Formation of a 1:1 complex between Sm(III) and húmate is observed with a pH-independent complexation constant log β = 7.1 ±0.2 derived from electrophoretic data. With cation exchange separations lower log β values are found, 4.8 ±0.2 with weakly and 4.2 ± 0.2 with strongly acidic resins, indicating a competition between samarium binding to the ion exchanger and to weak and strong binding sites in the húmate. A slowly established equilibrium is observed between samarium húmate binding modes of different strength. Variation of the samarium concentration from 10 6 to 10"'° M has only a slight influence on the stability constant, and magnesium interferes only above 10" 4 M concentrations.For the complexation of americium(III) with humic acid at 10"" M metal concentration log β = 6.6 ±0.2 is obtained from electrophoretic separations, and 4.7 ± 0.2 with weakly, 4.2 ± 0.2 with strongly acidic resins. This is, within the errors, in agreement with the samarium data.