PURPOSE: To enhance the durability of a composite member by combining a metal carbide ceramic phase having a specified grain diameter with a metal bonding phase of copper in a specified weight ratio and imparting specified porosity.

CONSTITUTION: A ceramic phase having ≤10μm average grain diameter is made of one or more kinds of compds. selected among the carbides, nitrides and borides of groups IVA, VA and VIA metals of the periodic table, 20-90wt.% of the ceramic phase is combined with 10-80wt.% metal bonding phase based on copper and/or silver and ≤1% porosity is imparted to obtain a composite member having high hardness, high electric conductivity and high heat conductivity and ensuring satisfactory durability when used as the tip of a welder or an electrode material for electric spark machining.