Three broad types of natural graphites are recognized: flake, vein, and amorphous. The compaction of graphite powders, representing these types, into coherent binderless artifacts at room temperature and pressures up to 125, 000 psi has been studied. The graphite powders were characterized as to their particle size distributions, crystallinity, relative crystallite alignment, surface areas, and surface homogeneities. The compacts were characterized as to their surface area, density, pore size distributions, and compressive strengths. It is concluded that chemical bonding between atoms on a small fraction of adjacent particle surfaces is of primary importance in determining compact strength, with van der Waals attractive forces between basal plane surfaces also playing a role.