The aim of this study is to prepare various porous clay ceramic pellets that contain carbon and to investigate their sorption properties towards heavy metals. The pellets were prepared from Latvian illitic clays. Potato starch, micro cellulose and sawdust were used as pore forming agents. Clays, pore forming agents and water were mixed, extruded, dried and cut into 8-10 mm long pellets. Then one part of the pellets was heated at 400°C for 1 hour, cooled, impregnated with sulfuric acid for 24 hours and pyrolysed at 500°C for 2 hours in nitrogen atmosphere. Then the pellets were washed to remove sulfate ions. The other part was pyrolysed at 500°C for 2 hours. The obtained carbon containing pellets were characterized with specific surface area, compressive strength and open porosity. Sorption ability towards Cu(II), Pb(II) and Ni(II) was investigated. Those pellets treated with sulfuric acid showed higher sorption properties then untreated ones. All pellets showed good mechanical properties, but the porosity increased in direction: potato starch < micro cellulose < sawdust.