Methods of preparing a mercury sorbent material are provided. The methods comprise making a copper/clay mixture by admixing a dry clay and a dry copper source; making a sulfur/clay mixture by admixing a dry clay and a dry sulfur source; admixing the copper/clay mixture and the sulfur/clay mixture, to form a mercury sorbent premixture; and shearing the mercury sorbent pre-mixture to form the mercury sorbent material. Various substrates may be used with or instead of the clay, and various additives may be added to the copper, sulfur, clay, or mixture thereof.