<p>Solvent extraction (SX) is an essential technique for producing high-purity tungsten (W), a critical metal used in alloys, electronics, and advanced materials. This review summarizes SX performance across four major aqueous media viz. chloride, nitrate, sulfate/phosphate, and alkaline, emphasizing how tungsten speciation dictates extractant choice. Quaternary ammonium salts such as Aliquat 336 show outstanding efficiency, with literature reports approaching ~99.8% W extraction in phosphate-conditioned chloride solutions, while alkaline systems enable highly effective tungstate extraction but face challenges from Mo and V coextraction. Solvating extractants (TBP, TOPO) operate in strongly acidic media and acidic organophosphorus reagents selectively remove cationic impurities, improving final purity. Across these environments, SX enables both tungsten concentration for APT/WO₃ production and impurity removal, offering cleaner, more controllable pathways than conventional precipitation-based processes. This review provides a structured comparison to support researchers and students, highlighting trends, limitations, and opportunities for more selective and sustainable tungsten extraction technologies.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>