Using fly ash rich in SiO2 and Al2O3 to prepare heterogeneous zeolite catalysts is an efficacious pathway for the resource development of solid waste. Herein, 13X zeolite with a rich specific surface area was synthesized from fly ash, and low amount of active components (Mn and Co) was added during the preparation of the 13X zeolite. Finally, a series of low-load xMnyCo/13X denitration catalysts were successfully prepared. The results show that the low supported 1Mn2Co/13X zeolite catalyst exhibits excellent selective catalytic performance, with higher than 80 % NO conversion and more than 90 % N2 selectivity during 150–350 ℃. It also demonstrates excellent resistance to both water and sulfur. Physicochemical characterization analysis indicated that a little Mn and Co were doped on the surface of 13X zeolite did not have a detailed crystal structure. The element Co doping increased the proportion of Mn3+, Mn4+ and Ov on 13X zeolite. The results of in situ DRIFTs demonstrated that the NH3-SCR reaction on the surface of 1Mn2Co/13X zeolite followed both the E-R and L-H mechanisms. Additionally, process simulation results further show that using 1Mn2Co/13X zeolite as an industrial denitration agent can reduce material costs by 64.0 % and operating costs by nearly 20 %.