Magnetite (Fe3O4) has been prepared directly to avoid the reduction process prior to the H2 production from the high temperature water gas shift reaction of the simulated waste derived synthesis gas. Citric acid has been employed as a complexing agent for the direct synthesis of magnetite. Notably, without the reduction process, the catalyst prepared at the citric acid molar ratio of 1.0 showed 80% CO conversion at 350℃ at a gas hourly space velocity of 40,057 h-1.