A series of Ni/Mg/Al/La mixed oxides prepared by thermal decomposition of layered double hydrotalcites (HT) were characterized by XRD, ICP, EXAFS, TGA, TPR-H(2), SEM, and N(2) adsorption/desorption technique. The results revealed the formation of periclase-type catalysts with mesoporous structure, and the addition of La(3+) lowered the phase crystallization with the formation of small oxide particles. Such catalysts had both high activities and stabilities toward partial oxidation of methane (POM). The catalyst containing 6.5 mol.% La(3+) showed the highest performance at 1053 K with CH(4) conversion of 99%, CO selectivity of 93% and H(2) selectivity of 96%, which could be attributed to the presence of highly dispersed nickel and then the resistance to coke formation due to the promotion effect of lanthanum. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.