PURPOSE: To form easily and continuously hyperfine SiC powder having β-type crystal form at a low cost by using a surfactant capable of remarkably improving the wetting properties of hyperfine carbon powder to a liq. dispersion medium contg. a dissolved carbonaceous binder.

CONSTITUTION: A granulated starting material consisting of silica, carbon and a carbonaceous binder is charged into a reactor from an upper part 1, dropped through the preheating zone 2, and heated in the heating zone 3 with indirect electric heating means 8, 9 to cause an SiC forming reaction while controlling the load and the dropping rate so as to provide nearly uniform temp. distribution to the charged starting material and the reaction product in the horizontal direction. The reaction product is dropped into the cooling zone 4, cooled in the nonoxidizing atmosphere, and discharged from a lower part 5. The carbon in the granulated starting material has 1W1,000m2/g specific surface area, and it is mixed with the carbonaceous binder using a liq. dispersion medium and a surfactant before granulation so as to control the reaction temp. in the zone 3 to 1,500W2,000°C. Hyperfine SiC powder having β-type crystal form is manufactured easily and continuously at a low cost.