Physicochemical, surface and catalytic properties of pure and Li2O-doped (0.75-3.0 mol%) CuO-Mn2O3 supported on cordierite (commercial grade) preheated in air at 500 degrees C were investigated using XRD, EDX, nitrogen adsorption at 196 degrees C and catalysis of CO-oxidation by O-2 at 250 degrees C. The results revealed that treating the support material with 10 wt% of both CuO and Mn2O3 followed by heating in air at 500 degrees C which much increased its S-BET (several folds) led to the formation of nanosized CuO and CuMn2O4 phases. Li2O-doping enhanced copper manganite (CuMn2O4) formation. The doping process increased effectively the surface concentration of both copper and manganese species due to an enhanced formation of CuMn2O4 on top surface layers of the doped system leading to an important increase in its catalytic activity. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.