TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The step of contacting the gas phase with the solid catalyst is performed at less than or equal to 200 degrees C, preferably less than or equal to 150 degrees C and at atmospheric pressure. The percent conversion of methanol is at least 20%. The molar ratio of water to methanol in the gas phase is greater than or equal to 1, preferably greater than or equal to 20:1. The process of producing hydrogen further comprises: generating the gas phase by feeding a liquid phase comprising water and methanol through a heated zone, where the liquid phase is fed into the heated zone at a feed rate of greater than or equal to 0.01 (preferably greater than or equal to 0.04) ml/minute; and recovering the hydrogen. The step of contacting the gas phase with the solid catalyst comprises passing the gas phase through a reactor comprising the catalyst. The process of producing the catalyst further comprises heating the calcined product in the presence of hydrogen to a temperature of at least 120 degrees C, preferably at least 150 degrees C. The co-precipitation step comprises contacting the solution of copper nitrate, zinc nitrate and gallium nitrate, which is an aqueous solution, with a second aqueous solution which comprises the metal carbonate. The co-precipitation step further comprises an aging step, comprising heating the co-precipitate in the presence of a solvent. The separation step further comprises washing and drying the co-precipitate. The calcination step comprises heating the co-precipitate in air to at least 250 degrees C, preferably at least 350 degrees C. The process of producing the catalyst further comprises recovering the catalyst and using it in the process for producing hydrogen by steam reforming of methanol. Preferred Components: The atomic percentage of: copper is 40-52 at.%; gallium relative to the total number of metal atoms in the oxide is greater than or equal to 5 (preferably 15-35) at.%; zinc relative to the total number of metal atoms in the oxide is 10-50 (preferably 15-45) at.%. The atomic percentages of copper, zinc and gallium relative to the total number of metal atoms in the oxide are 40-52, preferably 49 at.% copper, at least 25, preferably 31 at.% zinc, and at least 15, preferably 20 at.% gallium. The mixed metal oxide consists essentially of the copper, zinc and gallium. The metal atoms in the mixed metal oxide consist of x at.% copper, y at.% gallium, and z at.% zinc, where x is 30-55 (preferably 40-55), y is 10-40 (preferably 15-25), and z is 100-(x+y). The mixed metal oxide: has a specific copper metal surface area, as measured by nitrous oxide chemisorption, of at least 50 (preferably at least 210) m2/g-copper; comprises particles of the copper with a mean particle size of less than or equal to 10 (preferably less than or equal to 5) nm; has a copper metal dispersion of at least 15%, preferably at least 20%; and comprises a non-stoichiometric spinel phase comprising copper, zinc and gallium. The spinel phase comprises octahedral copper (Cu2+) and interstitial Cu+, and particles of copper metal. The catalyst further comprises a solid support material, or the catalyst is unsupported. The atomic percentages of copper, zinc and/or gallium in the solution of copper nitrate, zinc nitrate and gallium nitrate, relative to the total number of metal atoms in the solution, are the same as the atomic percentages of copper, zinc and/or gallium in the catalyst. The metal carbonate is an alkali metal carbonate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process of producing methanol further comprises recovering the methanol. EXAMPLE - Calcined catalyst was pre-reduced using temperature-programmed reduction from room temperature to 195 degrees C under 10% hydrogen/nitrogen gas stream at 20 ml/minute for 2hours. Then, a powder mixture of catalyst (0.4 g) and silicon carbide(I) (0.4 g), sandwiched between silica wool plugs, was placed in a 4 mm diameter silica reactor containing a thermocouple, and housed in a temperature-programmable furnace. A liquid feed of methanol:water (1:2) at a flow rate of 0.1 ml/minute generated from an HPLC pump was mixed with nitrogen flow set at 10 ml/minute by a mass-flow controller. The mixture was allowed to pass through pre-heated tubing maintained at 195 degrees C where all liquids were converted to gas before reaching the reactor. After passing through a dry-ice cold trap to remove water and methanol, the product gas stream was analyzed for quantifying the amount hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and methane gas levels.