Powdered steel reinforced by NbC dispersed particles was sintered both in resistive furnace at 1180 degrees C or in plasma reactor at 850 degrees C (reference temperature) using heating rates that ranged from 10 to 100 degrees C/min. Fe3P was used as liquid phase sintering additive. The microstructure of the resulting materials was visualized by scanning electronic microscopy. Distinctive microstructural features were observed as a function of the heating source and heating rate. Plasma sintering at rates similar to 30 degrees C/min revealed different microstructural features comparing edge and sample bulk. Homogeneous mixtures of Fe and NbC could be sintered in resistive furnace and plasma reactor using relatively low heating rates. Plasma sintering at 800 degrees C for I h (heating rate of 10 degrees C/min) resulted in relative densities of similar to 91% of the theoretical density of the composite. Sintering in resistive furnace for 1150 degrees C resulted in relative densities 94%.