Acid　mine　drainage　(AMD)　is　an　acidic　effluent　containing　many　toxic　heavy　metal　ions　(e.g.　Cu2+,　Cd2+,　Hg2+)　in　mining　industry,　leading　to　serious　environmental　issues　such　as　natural　soil　and　aquatic　pollution　that　threats　the　whole　ecosystem　and　biosafety.　Conventional　neutralization　and　precipitation　process　cannot　effectively　remove　heavy　metal　ions　due　to　the　risk　of　secondary　contamination.　Herein,　we　report　an　engineered　amorphous　molybdenum　sulphide　composite　for　selective　removal　of　heavy　metal　ions　from　other　co-existing　ions　in　AMD　solution.　This　composite　was　prepared　by　a　facile　ion　exchange　reaction,　in　which　tetrathiomolybdate　(MoS42-)　anions　are　firmly　bonded　to　strong　anion　exchange　resins　by　replacing　chloride　ions.　The　obtained　composite　was　used　to　remove　heavy　metal　ions　from　both　synthetic　and　authentic　AMD　solution.　The　results　of　batch　and　fixed-bed　column　tests　suggest　high　selectivity　towards　heavy　metals,　fast　adsorption　kinetics,　good　reusability　and　excellent　adsorption　capacities　in　the　order　of　Hg(II)＞＞Pb(II)＞Cu(II)＞Cd(II).　The　adsorption　data　are　fitted　well　by　Langmuir　model,　indicating　the　single-layer　adsorption　mechanism.　The　theoretical　adsorption　capacities　calculated　by　Langmuir　model　are　259.0　mg/g　for　Cu(II),　204.1　mg/g　for　Cd(II),　495.0　mg/g　for　Pb(II)　and　1538.4　mg/g　for　Hg(II).　The　interaction　between　metal　ions　(Cu,　Cd,　Pb,　Hg)　and　MoS42-　anions　are　demonstrated　by　the　formation　of　Mo-S-metal　(Cu,　Cd,　Pb,　Hg)　bonding　(the　red　shift　of　S2p　peak　in　XPS　spectra).　Our　results　support　the　potential　practical　application　of　this　new　material　for　scavenging　heavy　metal　ions　in　AMD　wastewater.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.