Keywords: Vanadium / Periodate / EXAFS spectroscopyReactions of V 2 O 5 or NH 4 VO 3 with periodic acid under basic conditions followed by acidification result in precipitates of general formula M 5 V 4 I 2 O 19 (OH)·nH 2 O (M = Na, n = 10; M = K, n = 5; M = Rb, n = 4; M = Cs, n = 3; M = NH 4 , n = 11). These are amorphous, and attempts at crystallisation failed, but spectroscopic measurements and analysis show similar