Thermally stable diamond abrasive compact body

A method of producing a composite diamond abrasive compact which includes a diamond compact directly bonded to a cemented carbide substrate, said diamond compact containing bonded diamond forming a coherent skeletal mass and a second phase consisting essentially of a refractory carbide forming metal, alone or in combination with another metal, each such metal being in the form of the metal, a carbide, and intermetallic compound or a combination of two or more thereof, comprising the steps of loading diamond particles and components(s) utilized to produce the second phase in a recess formed in a cemented carbide body such that the second phase components(s) lie(s) on the base of the recess and the diamond particles on top of the said component(s), providing means between the diamond and the side walls of the recess to prevent sideways infiltration of binder phase from the cemented carbide into the diamond mass, and subjecting the whole to controlled elevated temperature and pressure conditions to produce the diamond compact which is directly bonded to the carbide body.