PURPOSE: To obtain a powdery starting material giving superconductive ceramics having a high critical temp. by dissolving respective alkoxides of a rare-earth element, an alkaline-earth metal and copper in alcohol, mixing the resulting solns., adding water to coprecipitate hydroxides of the three elements and calcin ing the hydroxides.

CONSTITUTION: Alkoxides of a rare earth element, an alkaline-earth metal and copper, e.g., Y(OC2H5)3, Ba(OC2H5)2 and Cu(OC2H5)2 are separately dissolved in alcohol. The resulting solns. are mixed and water is added to the mixture to coprecipitate hydroxides of the three elements by hydrolysis. The hydroxides are calcined to obtain a desired powdery starting material for an oxide supercon ductor. When the starting material is sintered, uniform superconductive ceramic having a high oxygen concn. can be produced.