The mixed ion and electron conducting oxides of SrCo1-yTayO3-delta (0 <= y <= 0.3) powders were prepared by solid state reaction. By doping 10 mol% of tantalum on the B-site of SrCoO3, the cubic perovskite structure of the SrCoO3 is stable and a high oxygen permeation flux is achieved. The phase structure of the perovskite-type oxide of SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3-delta was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and oxygen temperature-programmed desorption (O-2-TPD) revealing that SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3-delta exhibits a good phase structure stability and reversibility in air. The oxygen permeation is predominated by oxygen ion bulk diffusion at the temperature > 900 degrees C. During the long-term operation, the SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3-delta membrane is operated at 900 degrees C for more than 520h with a steady oxygen permeation flux of around 1.36 x 10(-6) mol/s cm(2) with a membrane thickness of 0.65 mm under He/air gradient. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.