<p>The importance of improving the adsorption efficiency of adsorbents for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from water has been reported by many researchers. Clay mineral-based adsorbents are one of the attractive options. This review discusses a brief bibliometric analysis and review of the development of modified clay minerals (MMT and KT) as adsorbents from 2014 to 2024, using data from Scopus. The analysis sheds light on several important aspects, such as the most cited journals, frequently used keywords, and the countries involved and their collaborative networks in the development of related research topics. The result provides an overview of the potential types of materials that are often composited with MMT and KT, and presents an overview of the important factors that support the optimal conditions of its modified in the sorption process of organic and inorganic pollutants. Adsorbent dosage, pH, and contact time emerged as important parameters affecting the sorption process. The interlayer cations and tetrahedral-octahedral layered structure of MMT contribute to its versatility in various applications. In contrast, KT, a 1:1 dioctahedral clay, has a more rigid structure characterised by O–H–O bonds between layers. Despite its simpler structure, the potential of KT in pollutant removal is increasingly recognised, attributed to the non-parallel charge distribution of its crystal structure. Overall, this work serves as a resource that can help researchers better understand how to make effective adsorbents from clay minerals, particularly MMT and KT.</p>