In this study, extremophile fungal species isolated from pure loparite-containing sands and their tolerance/resistance to the lanthanides Ce and Nd were investigated. The loparite-containing sands were collected at the tailing dumps of an enterprise developing a unique polar deposit of niobium, tantalum and rare-earth elements (REEs) of the cerium group: the Lovozersky Mining and Processing Plant (MPP), located in the center of the Kola Peninsula (northwestern Russia). From the 15 fungal species found at the site, one of the most dominant isolates was identified by molecular analysis as the zygomycete fungusUmbelopsis isabellina(GenBank accession no. OQ165236). Fungal tolerance/resistance was evaluated using different concentrations of CeCl3and NdCl3.Umbelopsis isabellinaexhibited a higher degree of tolerance/resistance to cerium and neodymium than did the other dominant isolates (Aspergillus niveoglaucus,Geomyces vinaceusandPenicillium simplicissimum). The fungus began to be inhibited only after being exposed to 100 mg L−1of NdCl3. The toxic effects of Ce were not observed in fungus growth until it was subjected to 500 mg∙L−1of CeCl3. Moreover, onlyU. isabellinastarted to grow after extreme treatment with 1000 mg∙L−1of CeCl3one month after inoculation. This work indicates, for the first time, the potential ofUmbelopsis isabellinato remove REEs from the loparite ore tailings, making it a suitable candidate for the development of bioleaching methods.