In　this　study,　a　low-cost　porous　geopolymers　(PGP)　were　prepared　using　coal　gangue　and　fly　ash　as　raw　materials　to　remove　organic　and　heavy　metal　ions　from　wastewater.　Various　characterization　techniques　were　employed　to　investigate　the　microstructure,　morphology,　pore　size　distribution,　and　surface　functional　groups　of　the　porous　geopolymers.　The　results　indicate　that　the　geopolymer　exhibits　a　porous　structure　with　hydroxyl　groups　on　the　surface　after　foaming.　It　was　found　that　the　porous　geopolymers　exhibited　good　adsorption　capacity　for　Methylene　Blue　(MB),　Cu(II),　and　Pb(II),　with　optimal　adsorption　capacities　reaching　35.60　mg/g,　98.31　mg/g,　and　85.67　mg/g,　respectively.　Fitting　analysis　suggests　that　the　adsorption　of　MB,　Cu(II),　and　Pb(II)　is　better　described　by　the　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　model　and　the　Freundlich　isotherm　model.　This　indicates　that　the　adsorption　process　is　primarily　chemical　adsorption　with　multilayer　adsorption.　Competitive　adsorption　studies　showed　that　Cu(II)　could　enhance　the　adsorption　of　MB,　while　Pb(II)　had　no　significant　effect　on　the　adsorption　of　MB.　Mechanistic　studies　revealed　that　the　adsorption　of　MB　by　PGP　is　mainly　through　pore　adsorption,　electrostatic　attraction,　and　hydrogen　bond　formation;　whereas　the　adsorption　of　Cu(II)　and　Pb(II)　is　primarily　through　pore　adsorption,　electrostatic　attraction,　chemical　reactions,　and　ion　exchange.　Recycling　experiments　demonstrated　that　after　five　repetitions,　the　adsorption　capacity　of　PGP　for　the　three　pollutants　remained　above　60　%.　These　findings　confirm　the　potential　of　porous　geopolymers　as　adsorbents.　Preliminary　cost　analysis　shows　that　the　adsorption　cost　of　porous　geopolymers　is　only　2.07　RMB/kg,　making　the　geopolymer　adsorbent　economically　advantageous　and　promising　for　application,　especially　considering　its　ability　to　utilize　industrial　solid　waste.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.