Low cost and active monolith catalysts for methane oxidation were developed. The preparation procedure includes the mechanochemical activation of mixed La-Ce rare-earth oxides and transition metal oxides, followed by their annealing, kneading with the binder, extrusion of plastic pastes, drying and calcination. For disordered oxide composites with the perovskite- or fluorite-like structures intermixed with alumina, their specific catalytic activity in the methane oxidation weakly depends upon the nature of transition metal cations (Mn, Ni, Fe, Co). In the temperature range of the methane + air mixture ignition (similar to 500 degrees C), the performance of optimized monolithic catalysts is mainly determined by their specific surface area controlled by the binder composition and preparation procedure.