Hexaaluminate-comprising catalyst for the reforming of hydrocarbons and a reforming process

A process for preparing a hexaaluminate-comprising catalyst, the process comprising:

• (i) contacting a finely divided aluminum oxide source, a metal salt which comprises at least a soluble or fusible cobalt- species, and a metal salt which comprises at least a soluble or fusible lanthanum-comprising species, wherein said finely divided aluminum oxide source is in the form of a solid,
• (ii) mixing the aluminum oxide source and the metal salt, to obtain a mixture,
• wherein at least one of the metal salts in (i) are in the form of a metal salt solution or following said mixing (ii) a liquid is added to said mixture,
• (iii) drying the mixture,
• (iv) low-temperature calcination of the mixture,
• (v) molding or shaping, and
• (vi) high-temperature calcination,
• wherein cobalt is incorporated into said hexaaluminate-comprising catalyst and said hexaaluminate-comprising catalyst comprises from 70 to 90 mol% aluminum, from 2 to 15 mol% cobalt, and from a total content of 2 to 25 mol% of La and at least one further element selected from the group consisting of Ba and Sr.