Catalysts with 20% LaMnO3 supported on MgO have been prepared via CTAB-1-butanol-iso-octane-nitrate salt microemulsion. The preparation method was successfully varied in order to obtain different degrees of interaction between LaMnO3 and MgO as shown by TPR and activity tests after calcination at 900 degrees C. Activity was tested on structured catalysts with 1.5% CH4 in air as test gas giving a GHSV of 100,000 h(-1). The activity was greatly enhanced by supporting LaMnO3 on MgO compared with the bulk LaMnO3. After calcination at 1100 degrees C both the surface area and TPR profiles were similar, indicating that the preparation method is of little importance at this high temperature due to interaction between the phases. Pure LaMmO(3) and MgO were prepared using the same microemulsion method for comparison purposes. Pure MgO showed an impressive thermal stability with a BET surface area exceeding 30 m(2)/g after calcination at 1300 degrees C. The method used to prepare pure LaMnO3 appeared not to be suitable since the surface area dropped to 1.1 m(2)/g already after calcination in 900 degrees C. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.