To provide a powder compacting method capable of compression- molding a powder compact having a plurality of pores in which the inside is partitioned by a thin partition wall, so soundly that a crack or other defects are prevented from occurring in sintering the compact.

A powder compacting apparatus consists of a die 2 provided with a die hole 20, a fixed punch 3 to be inserted into the die hole 20 from the lower portion of the die 2, a floating punch 4 to be inserted into a punch hole of the punch 3 from the lower portion of the punch 3 and stopped by a stopper 8 so as not to descend, and an upper punch 3 to be inserted into the die hole 20 from the upper portion of the die 2. Also, the apparatus includes an elastic energizing means 5 fixed on the upper punch 3 so as to be pressed and moved downward, a depressing rod 6 connected to the means 5 to extend downward, and a holding rod 7 arranged so as to be fixed on the punch 4 so that its upper end can abut on the lower end of the rod 6. The timing of abutting of the rod 6 on the rod 7 is adjustable.