The aluminum boride hard phase may be incorporated into a matrix material by mixing particulate aluminum boride with the matrix material and through precipitation of aluminum boride from the matrix material.

The aluminium magnesium boride present in the secondary hard phase may consist of AlMgB14 only or a mixture of AlMgB14 and one or more other aluminium magnesium boride compounds.

The hard phase material is an aluminum boride material having the structure AlB8-16.

The mixture may additionally comprise particles of a hard or abrasive material, such as silicon carbide or aluminium carbide or a boride/carbide such as aluminium titanium diboride-titanium carbide.

Materials including the aluminum boride hard phase may be used in coating applications to provide a hard and wear resistant coating.

Aluminum boride hard phase may also be incorporated into metallurgical products to improve the hardness and wear resistance of the metallurgical products.

The cubic boron nitride compact contains a secondary hard phase, which comprises at least one aluminium magnesium boride compound, such as AlMgB14.

The aluminium magnesium boride compound or compounds may also be doped with elements such as silicon, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, nickel and iron, or borides, carbides and nitrides thereof.