The　microstructure,　texture　and　mechanical　properties　of　Mg-9Zn-xEr　(x　=　3,　4.5　and　6　wt.%)　alloys　have　been　investigated.　It　was　found　that　the　main　phase　compositions　of　the　present　Mg-9Zn-xEr　alloys　were　composed　of　I-phase　and　W-phase　as　well　as　the　alpha-Mg　solid　solution.　The　volume　fraction　of　the　secondary　phases,　especially　for　the　W-phase　which　increased　as　the　content　of　the　Er　element　increased.　The　increment　in　the　content　of　the　W-phase　led　to　unexpected　results　in　the　associated　texture　and　mechanical　properties.　The　texture　was　not　weakened　as　the　volume　fraction　of　the　secondary　phase　increased　compared　with　those　of　Mg-Zn-Er　alloys　containing　I-phase　or　W-phase　exclusively,　respectively.　Whereas,　the　mechanical　properties　of　as-extruded　Mg-9Zn-xEr　alloys　displayed　a　tendency　to　increase　with　the　content　of　Er　increasing.　The　best　mechanical　properties　had　been　observed　in　the　Mg-9Zn-6Er　alloy　after　hot　extrusion　at　300　degrees　C,　and　the　values　of　the　ultimate　tensile　strength　and　the　elongation　were　338　(+/-　5.2)　MPa　and　13.8　(+/-　1.0)%,　respectively.　The　hot　extrusion　temperature　did　not　play　an　important　role　in　influencing　mechanical　properties.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.