This invention provides a long-life Sialon insert, the cutting edge of which is resistant to wear and hard to fracture, and a cutting tool equipped with the Sialon insert.
Provided are a Sialon insert made of a Sialon sintered body including a Sialon phase comprising an α-Sialon and a β-Sialon, and at least one element, originating from a sintering aid, selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, Dy, Yb, and Lu in an amount of 0.5 to 5 mol % in terms of an oxide thereof, wherein an α-value, which shows the proportion of the α-Sialon in the Sialon phase, is from 10% to 40%; the β-Sialon has a value of Z from 0.2 to 0.7 wherein Z is a variable of the formula Si6-ZAlZOZN8-Z and within a range: 0<Z≦4.2; and the sintered body has an average thermal expansion coefficient of 3.5×10−6/K or less at temperatures of room temperature to 1000° C., and a thermal conductivity of 10 W/m·K or more at temperatures of room temperature to 1000° C., and a cutting tool comprising a holder equipped with the Sialon insert.