(ZA9707449-A)      A catalyst or precursor therefor comprises shaped units consisting of a compacted particulate mixture which, after ignition at 900C in air, are made up of 10 - 50 wt.%(expressed as MO) nickel oxide and/or cobalt oxide, and calcium aluminate cement and alumina and/or magnesia to give 1 - 10 wt.% CaO, an alumina content at least 4 times the CaO content, a magnesia + alumina content of at least 40 wt.% and &lt; 1 wt.% silica. The pore volume is 0.2 - 0.5 ml/g, and the pore size distribution includes 5 - 25 % at 15 - 35 nm, at least 30 % &gt; 35 nm and 10 - 20 % &gt; 1500 nm.    ADVANTAGE -   In a known methanation catalyst based upon nickel oxide, alumina and calcium aluminate cement of high alumina content, greater activity and macro-porosity at adequate strength are obtained by reducing the silica content by replacing the kaolin diluent by alumina and/magnesia.    (TW342351-A)      A shaped unit suitable for use as a catalyst or its precursor, which comprises a compacted particulate mixture of at least one oxide of a Group VIII metal M selected from nickel and cobalt, a calcium aluminate cement, and alumina and/or magnesia, the shaped unit having (after ignition in air at 900J) a content of the Group VIII metal oxide of 10 to 50% by weight (expressed as the divalent oxide, MO), a calcium oxide content of 1 to 10% by weight, an alumina content by weight that is at least four times the weight of calcium oxide, a total content of alumina plus magnesia of at least 40% by weight, a silica content of less than 1% by weight, and the shaped unit having a pore volume in the range 0.2 to 0.5 ml/g and having a pore size distribution such that from 5 to 25% of the total pore volume is in the form of pores of diameter in the range 15 to 35 nm, at least 30% of the total pore volume is in the form of pores of diameter greater than 35 nm, and 10 to 20% of the total pore volume is in the form of pores of diameter greater than 1500 nm.    (EP958048-A1)      A catalyst or precursor therefor comprises shaped units consisting of a compacted particulate mixture which, after ignition at 900C in air, are made up of 10 - 50 wt.%(expressed as MO) nickel oxide and/or cobalt oxide, and calcium aluminate cement and alumina and/or magnesia to give 1 - 10 wt.% CaO, an alumina content at least 4 times the CaO content, a magnesia + alumina content of at least 40 wt.% and &lt; 1 wt.% silica. The pore volume is 0.2 - 0.5 ml/g, and the pore size distribution includes 5 - 25 % at 15 - 35 nm, at least 30 % &gt; 35 nm and 10 - 20 % &gt; 1500 nm.    ADVANTAGE -   In a known methanation catalyst based upon nickel oxide, alumina and calcium aluminate cement of high alumina content, greater activity and macro-porosity at adequate strength are obtained by reducing the silica content by replacing the kaolin diluent by alumina and/magnesia.    (JP2001500781-W)      A catalyst or precursor therefor comprises shaped units consisting of a compacted particulate mixture which, after ignition at 900C in air, are made up of 10 - 50 wt.%(expressed as MO) nickel oxide and/or cobalt oxide, and calcium aluminate cement and alumina and/or magnesia to give 1 - 10 wt.% CaO, an alumina content at least 4 times the CaO content, a magnesia + alumina content of at least 40 wt.% and &lt; 1 wt.% silica. The pore volume is 0.2 - 0.5 ml/g, and the pore size distribution includes 5 - 25 % at 15 - 35 nm, at least 30 % &gt; 35 nm and 10 - 20 % &gt; 1500 nm.    ADVANTAGE -   In a known methanation catalyst based upon nickel oxide, alumina and calcium aluminate cement of high alumina content, greater activity and macro-porosity at adequate strength are obtained by reducing the silica content by replacing the kaolin diluent by alumina and/magnesia.    (EP958048-B1)      A catalyst or precursor therefor comprises shaped units consisting of a compacted particulate mixture which, after ignition at 900C in air, are made up of 10 - 50 wt.%(expressed as MO) nickel oxide and/or cobalt oxide, and calcium aluminate cement and alumina and/or magnesia to give 1 - 10 wt.% CaO, an alumina content at least 4 times the CaO content, a magnesia + alumina content of at least 40 wt.% and &lt; 1 wt.% silica. The pore volume is 0.2 - 0.5 ml/g, and the pore size distribution includes 5 - 25 % at 15 - 35 nm, at least 30 % &gt; 35 nm and 10 - 20 % &gt; 1500 nm.    ADVANTAGE -   In a known methanation catalyst based upon nickel oxide, alumina and calcium aluminate cement of high alumina content, greater activity and macro-porosity at adequate strength are obtained by reducing the silica content by replacing the kaolin diluent by alumina and/magnesia.    (US6261465-B1)      A catalyst or precursor therefor comprises shaped units consisting of a compacted particulate mixture which, after ignition at 900C in air, are made up of 10 - 50 wt.%(expressed as MO) nickel oxide and/or cobalt oxide, and calcium aluminate cement and alumina and/or magnesia to give 1 - 10 wt.% CaO, an alumina content at least 4 times the CaO content, a magnesia + alumina content of at least 40 wt.% and &lt; 1 wt.% silica. The pore volume is 0.2 - 0.5 ml/g, and the pore size distribution includes 5 - 25 % at 15 - 35 nm, at least 30 % &gt; 35 nm and 10 - 20 % &gt; 1500 nm.    ADVANTAGE -   In a known methanation catalyst based upon nickel oxide, alumina and calcium aluminate cement of high alumina content, greater activity and macro-porosity at adequate strength are obtained by reducing the silica content by replacing the kaolin diluent by alumina and/magnesia.