This research presented six natural clay minerals (NCM) evaluated for the effectiveness of NH4+ adsorption from aqueous solution. For the first time, the NH4+ adsorption capacities of kaolinite, halloysite, montmorillonite, vermiculite, palygorskite, and sepiolite were examined and compared in the same study. All the NCM were fully characterized by XRD, SEM/EDS, XRF,FTIR, CEC, zeta potential and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms to better understand the adsorption mechanism-property relationship. Adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption behavior followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherms fitted by the Langmuir model illustrated that among all the NCM studied, vermiculite (50.06mg/g) and montmorillonite (40.84mg/g) showed the highest ammonium adsorption capacities. Our results revealed that the cation exchange is the main mechanism for the NH4+ adsorption. Additionally, negatively charged surface, water absorption process and surface morphology of NCM might also contribute to the high adsorption capacity for the NH4+. The maximum adsorption capacities for all NCM were rapidly obtained within 30min with a dosage of 0.3g/25mL at pH of 7. The results illustrated that the NCM have significant potential as economic, safe and effective adsorbent materials for the NH4+ adsorption from the aqueous solution. Display omitted •Vermiculite and montmorillonite showed the highest ammonium adsorption capacities.•Cation exchange was the main mechanism onto NCM.•The structure and surface properties of NCM are the key for the highest adsorption.•Parameters such as contact time, dosage and pH affecting NH4+ adsorption•The adsorption isotherms and kinetic models were investigated.