Provided herein is a barium sulfate-containing catalyst carrier. The catalyst carrier is useful for supporting an exhaust gas purification catalyst, such as a three way conversion catalyst. In an embodiment, the carrier comprises BaSO4/thermally stable alumina. Further provided is a process for preparing the catalyst carrier, with or without precious metals, comprising treating a barium oxide/alumina or barium carbonate/alumina with a stoichiometric amount of sulfuric acid (H2SO4), thus forming BaSO4/alumina in situ in good yield and at low cost.