A method for producing a thiometallate or selenometallate material, comprising: mixing a first salt and a second salt in an aqueous mixture under anaerobic conditions (conditions in which less than 0.5 vol.% oxygen is present), where, during mixing the aqueous mixture has a temperature of from 50°C to 150°C, and wherein the first salt comprises an anionic component containing a first metal selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, and V where the anionic component is selected from the group consisting of MoS 4 2-, MoSe 4 2-, WS 4 2-, WSe 4 2-, VS 4 3-, and VSe 4 3- and mixtures thereof, and wherein the second salt comprises a cationic component comprising a second metal in any non-zero oxidation state selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ag, Co, Mn, Re, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, B, Al, Ce, La, Pr, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Dy, Ni, Zn, Bi, Sn, and mixtures thereof, where the first and second salts are soluble in the aqueous mixture; and separating a solid material from the aqueous mixture comprising a) the first metal; and b) the second metal, wherein at least a portion of the solid material separated from the aqueous mixture has a structure according to a formula selected from the group consisting of formula, formula, formula, and formula: where M is either the first metal or the second metal; at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal; and Q is either sulfur or selenium; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3. mixing a first salt and a second salt in an aqueous mixture under anaerobic conditions (conditions in which less than 0.5 vol.% oxygen is present), where, during mixing the aqueous mixture has a temperature of from 50°C to 150°C, and wherein the first salt comprises an anionic component containing a first metal selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, and V where the anionic component is selected from the group consisting of MoS 4 2-, MoSe 4 2-, WS 4 2-, WSe 4 2-, VS 4 3-, and VSe 4 3- and mixtures thereof, and wherein the second salt comprises a cationic component comprising a second metal in any non-zero oxidation state selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ag, Co, Mn, Re, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, B, Al, Ce, La, Pr, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Dy, Ni, Zn, Bi, Sn, and mixtures thereof, where the first and second salts are soluble in the aqueous mixture; and separating a solid material from the aqueous mixture comprising a) the first metal; and b) the second metal, wherein at least a portion of the solid material separated from the aqueous mixture has a structure according to a formula selected from the group consisting of formula, formula, formula, and formula: where M is either the first metal or the second metal; at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal; and Q is either sulfur or selenium; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3; where M is either the first metal or the second metal, and at least one M is the first metal and at least one M is the second metal, Q is either sulfur or selenium, and X is selected from the group consisting of SO 4, PO 4, oxalate (C 2 O 4), acetylacetonate, acetate, citrate, tartrate, Cl, Br, I, ClO 4, and NO 3.