The invention relates to a sliding contact piece for transmitting an electrical current with a density of between 15 A/cm and 50 A/cm , said element comprising copper particles and graphoid particles produced by grinding a mixture of graphite particles, preferably natural graphite, and organic binding agents. Said contact piece is characterised in that, in order to transmit the current for at least 2000 hours at a temperature higher than 100 DEG C, typically around 150 DEG C, the contact piece contains between 20 and 60 wt. % of copper particles and also particles comprising an additional metal pertaining to the group consisting of zinc, manganese and tin, in the form of metal or a compound of said metal.