The drag force experienced by a ceramic particle being steadily pushed by a metallic solidification front is calculated using a sharp interface numerical technique. The effects of thermal conductivity ratio between the particle and the melt (less than one for the ceramic-metal system) are accounted for in obtaining the drag expression. The drag expression is cast in two forms, the first expresses the drag as a function of the thermal conductivity ratio between the particle and the melt and the second as a function of the radius of curvature of the solid-liquid interface. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.