Cerium　is　a　critical　element　to　modern　technologies.　Nowadays,　its　increased　applications　have　led　to　elevated　levels　in　the　environment.　Cerium　recovery　by　microorganisms　has　gained　a　great　deal　of　attention.　Here,　our　research　showed　that　Bacillus　licheniformis　could　be　used　to　recover　Ce3+　from　aqueous　solution.　The　adsorption　capacity　of　cerium　on　this　bacterial　strain　achieved　38.93　mg/g　(dry　weight)　biomass.　Adsorption　kinetics　followed　a　pseudo-second-order　rate　model,　and　adsorption　isotherm　was　fitted　well　with　the　Freundlich　model.　Scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM)　observations　coupled　with　X-ray　energy　dispersive　spectroscopy　(EDS)　analysis　revealed　a　spatial　association　of　Ce　with　C,　N,　O,　S,　and　P.　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR)　analysis　further　suggested　that　the　phosphate　and　carboxyl　groups　on　the　cell　surface　might　be　responsible　for　the　adsorption　of　cerium.　Furthermore,　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD)　and　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM)　with　electron　energy　loss　spectroscopy　(EELS)　suggested　that　cerium　initially　occurred　on　the　bacterial　cell　surface　as　Ce(OH)3,　which　was　mainly　converted　to　monazite　(CePO4)　and　a　small　amount　of　CeO2　overtime.　Hydrothermal　treatment　was　used　to　accelerate　the　mineralization　process　of　cerium　by　B.　licheniformis.　The　hydrothermal　treatment　is　conducted　for　comparative　analysis　of　mineralization　process　in　extreme　geological　condition.　©　2021