Distributions of cobalt and iron ions over three kinds of sites in the Co(2)Z-type Ba-ferrite (Ba3Co2-xFe24+xO41, x = 0, 0.2 0.4, 0.6) were studied by examining X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) at Co-K, Fe-K edges. Analyses were performed in terms of both extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) to estimate bond lengths, coordination numbers and valences of cobalt and iron ions. The results reasonably agree with those of the previous neutron diffraction analyses. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.