The mixed oxide system 0.1SnO(2)-0-9 alpha-Fe2O3 (Sn1) was synthesized using the hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mossbauer spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Sensing properties in both CH4 and CO were recorded as a function of temperature, humidity and concentration. The results were compared with those obtained for SnO2 (Sn10). It has been observed that Sn1 displays superior stability and sensitivity for methane as compared to Sn10. For both Sn1 and Sn10, the sensitivity to methane and carbon monoxide is influenced by temperature. In contradistinction to Sn10, Sn1 presents a reduced sensitivity to water vapors. A model based on the simultaneous evaluation of the electrical resistance and workfunction was elaborated to describe the selectivity of Sn1. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.