The performance of three iron-based oxygen carriers (pure Fe2O3, synthetic Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 and iron ore) in reduction process using methane as fuel is investigated in thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA). The reaction rate and mechanism between three oxygen carriers and methane are investigated. On the basis of reactivity in reduction process, it may be concluded that Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 has the best reactivity with methane. The reaction rate constant is found to be in the following order: Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 > pure Fe2O3 > iron ore and the activation energy varies between 49 and 184 kJ mol(-1). Reduction reactions for the pure Fe2O3 and synthetic Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 are well represented by the reaction controlling mechanism, and for the iron ore the phase-boundary controlled (contracting cylinder) model dominates. The particles of iron ore and synthetic Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 have better stability than that of pure Fe2O3 when the reaction temperature is limited to lower than 1223 K. These preliminary results suggest that iron-based mixed oxygen carrier particles are potential to be used in methane chemical looping process, but the reactivity of the iron ore needs to be increased. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.