The influence of mechanochemical treatment on the solid state reactions between alpha-Fe2O3 and V2O5 was studied. A stoichiometric mixture of both oxides was subjected to an intense milling in air for different time intervals. The mechanochemical treatment for 15 h leads to a drastic decrease of the temperature of synthesis of FeVO4 (from 1073 K to 773 K). The formation of FeVO4 was monitored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Mossbauer spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). (C) 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.