1. An examination was made of several techniques for the production of nickel reinforced with randomly-distributed mullite (3Al2O3 · 2SiO2) whiskers. The infiltration technique was found to be unsuitable because of the absence of wetting between nickel and mullite and the transformation of needle-shaped mullite into equiaxedα-Al2O3 grains. The methods of cold pressing and dynamic hot pressing produce a substantial comminution of the crystal whiskers, which adversely affects the properties of nickel-mullite composite materials. 2. By employing hot pressing, it is possible to obtain material having a density close to theoretical and, at the same time, preserving the required ratio of whisker length to diameter. 3. The effects of hot-pressing conditions on the porosity of composite nickel materials with 15 vol.% of mullite crystal whiskers were investigated. The optimum hot-pressing parameters are: pressure 150 kg/cm2, temperature 1300°C, and holding period 30 min.