Mg(Al)O　mixed　oxide-supported　Co　catalysts　were　prepared　by　using　Co–Mg–Al　layered　double　hydroxides　(LDHs)　as　precursors　and　their　structural　and　catalytic　properties　for　CH4–CO2　reforming　were　studied.　Upon　calcination　and　reduction,　Co–Mg–Al　LDHs　were　decomposed　to　Mg(Co,　Al)O　mixed　oxides　and　gave　rise　to　highly　dispersed　Co　metal　particles　with　the　mean　size　of　∼9–10 nm.　The　catalytic　activity,　stability,　and　coke　resistance　of　Co/MgAl　increased　with　the　increase　of　Co　loading.　The　12%–15%Co/Mg3Al　catalysts　showed　high　and　stable　activity　as　well　as　less　coke　deposition　during　30 h　of　reaction　at　1023 K.　Sintering　of　Co　particles　was　not　clearly　observed,　indicative　of　good　thermal　stability　of　Co　particles,　and　this　could　be　attributed　to　the　strong　metal-support　interaction　between　Co　particles　and　Mg(Al)O.　It　was　also　found　that　the　optimum　LDHs-Co/MgAl　catalyst　exhibited　superior　coke　resistance　than　the　LDHs-Ni/MgAl　catalyst.　Particularly　during　25 h　of　reaction　at　873 K,　the　12%Co/Mg3Al　catalyst　showed　much　higher　catalytic　stability　and　much　less　coke　deposition　as　compared　to　the　12%Ni/Mg3Al　catalyst,　highlighting　the　great　potential　of　using　Co　instead　of　Ni　as　an　active　catalyst　for　the　CH4–CO2　reforming.　©　2016　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications　LLC