The possibility of manufacturing the graphite-copper composite powder by the electroless plating method as well as effects of related variables on the deposition process have been examined. For the continuous coating of the copper layer, the activation of the surface of graphite particle was necessary and at least one minute of activation time was needed. Although initial concentrations of copper ions were found important on the initial reaction rate, the gave the same conversion at the final stage. Since the uniform coating could be achieved when the initial concentration of copper ion was higher than 0.25M/l, the thickness of copper layer could be controlled with the initial concentrations of copper ions. As the size of graphite particles became smaller, the amount of deposition was increased due to the larger surface area and active sites for the reduction of copper ions. Although the reaction occurred in the solution with the stoichiometric amounts of reactants, it could be accomplished with only a small amount of K-Na tartrate because of its repetitive participations during the reaction. An empirical equation was developed for the understanding and prediction of reaction rates, which gave the satisfactory results compared with the experimental data.