Molds for continuous casting of metals

In a mold for continuous casting of high melting temperature metals, which is formed of a copper or copper alloy mold body of high thermal conductivity and a wear resistant layer of a different metal forming the casting surface of the mold, the improvement comprising:

• said wear resistant layer being nickel having dispersed therein solid particles of silicon carbide of a particle size from 5 to 50 .mu.m for increasing the wear resistance of such nickel layer, said nickel layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 1.5 mm and being formed by electrolytic deposition to provide a nonporous casting surface securely bonded to said mold body, whereby a minimum reduction in thermal conductivity through the mold as a result of the inclusion of the high wear resistance layer is achieved concurrent with an increase in the wear resistance of the casting surface.