TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The oxide further contains at least one element selected from lanthanum, calcium, gallium, zirconium, cerium, chromium, barium and magnesium. The oxide has the composition of formula (CuO)w(ZnO)x(Al2O3)yMz, where M is at least one kind of oxide selected from lanthanum oxide, calcium oxide, gallium oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, chromium oxide, barium oxide and magnesium oxide. The molar ratios w, x, y and z are given by w = 100, x = 30-160, y = 1-50 and z = 0-30. The oxide has specific surface area as measured by BET method of 30-250 m2/g. The molar ratio of steam to methanol in gas is set to 0.4-10 and that of oxygen to methanol is set to 0.03-2.Preferred Process: The basic metal carbonate precipitate is obtained alternatively by mixing individual aqueous solutions of copper component, zinc component, aluminum component and aqueous solution containing metal component chosen out of lanthanum, calcium, gallium, zirconium, cerium, chromium, barium and magnesium, with the precipitant to obtain basic metal carbonate containing copper, zinc, aluminum and at least one element among lanthanum, calcium, gallium, zirconium, cerium, chromium, barium and magnesium as precipitate. The basic metal carbonate is preferably obtained by mixing precipitant, individual aqueous solutions of aluminum component and zinc component and/or aqueous solution containing metal component to form the precipitate. Subsequently, aqueous solution containing copper component is added to the resultant suspension to form precipitate under alkaline condition on the surface of previously formed precipitate. The temperature of the precipitant is maintained at 15-90 degrees C. During methanol reforming, the gas is contacted with methanol reforming catalyst at 100-400 degrees C. The pressure of the gas is maintained between the atmospheric pressure and 80 atm.Preferred Carbonate: The basic metal carbonate has a crystal structure selected from Cu2CO3(OH)2, (Cu,Zn)2CO3(OH)2, Zn4CO3(OH)6.H2O and (Cu,Zn)8Al2CO3(OH)16.H2O.Preferred Precipitant: The precipitant consists of at least one aqueous solution selected from aqueous solution of sodium carbonate and aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate. EXAMPLE - Solution A (precipitant) containing 2.5 mol of sodium carbonate in 2 l of water, solution B containing 0.225 mol of zinc nitrate hexahydrate in 400 cc of water and solution C containing 0.075 mol of aluminum nitrate and 0.025 mol of cerium nitrate in 400 cc of water, were prepared. Solution D containing 0.3 mol of copper nitrate trihydrate in 200 cc of water was prepared. The mixed solution of B and C was added into solution A to form precipitate. Then, solution D was added into the suspension to obtain double basic metal carbonate. Aging was performed for 1 hour followed by filtration and washing the precipitate. The precipitate was sintered at 300 degrees C and complex oxide containing copper, zinc, aluminum and cerium ions with specific surface area of 152 m2/g was obtained. The catalyst was evaluated for methanol reformation by molding the catalyst into pellets and loading into reactor. Test gas containing 1% of hydrogen and balance of nitrogen was supplied at 150 degrees C. Reaction gas containing evaporated methanol, steam and oxygen was supplied into the catalyst bed. The methanol conversion rate and carbon monoxide (CO) concentration was 80% and 0.3% respectively at 200 degrees C and at 250 degrees C methanol conversion rate was 91% and CO concentration was 0.5%.