Abstract: A process is presented for the fabrication of a metal/ceramic composite by a non-vapor phase oxidation of a molten metal by contacting said molten metal at an elevated temperature with a sacrificial ceramic preform. The shape of the preform is retained but the ceramic preform is reduced, oxidizing the molten metal. A preferred sacrificial ceramic preform is silica, but can also be, for example, mullite, titania or zirconia, and the preferred molten metal is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Thus, for example, is produced from immersing a silica preform into molten aluminum alloy, an Al/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 composite metal/ceramic article which does not contain silica or silicon and which is extremely tough.