A silica-based material which contains silicon, aluminum, at least one fourth-period element selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and zinc, and at least one basic element selected from the group consisting of alkali metal elements, alkaline earth metal elements and rare earth elements respectively in amounts of 42 to 90mol%, 3 to 38mol%, 0.5 to 20mol%, and 2 to 38mol% relative to the total molar amount of the silica, the aluminum, and the fourth-period element and the basic element.