A metal-containing chabazite zeolite, which has an FTIR peak area ratio between the peak at 900-1300 cm−1 (Si—O—Si asymmetric stretch) and the peak at 765-845 cm−1 (˜805 cm−1 is Si—O—Si symmetric stretch) of at least 55. A method for preparing metal-containing CHA zeolites with high SCR activity at low reaction temperatures from alkali cation-free reaction mixtures that contain the three OSDA structures: metal-polyamine, N,N,N-trimethyl-1-adamantyl ammonium (TMAda+) and TMAOH. The metal-containing CHA zeolites produced by the disclosed method can be identified by XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, FT-VIS spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A method of selective catalytic reduction of NOx in exhaust gas using the material described herein is also disclosed.