A pelletizing die plate is useful with a main die body with passageways. The pelletizing die plate includes a die plate body, which is made of a hard composite material. The hard composite material contains a low thermal conductivity matrix of hard matrix particles and an infiltrant alloy bonded to the hard matrix particles to form the hard composite material. The hard matrix particles includes between greater than zero and up to about 20 weight percent titanium carbide particles and the balance cast tungsten carbide particles. The infiltrant alloy contains at least one or more of nickel and copper. The hard matrix particles are between about 50 weight percent and about 70 weight percent of the hard composite material and the infiltrant alloy are between about 30 weight percent and about 50 weight percent of the hard composite material. The hard composite material has a thermal conductivity less than or equal to about 25 Watt/m° K. The die plate body has bores in alignment with the passageways in the main die body thereby forming continuations of the passageways of the main die body. A method of making a pelletizing die assembly that has the steps of: providing a main die body wherein the main die body having a first end face and a second end face, and a plurality of passageways extending through said main die body between said first and second end faces; placing a first mass of hard matrix particles on the second end face of the main die body; placing a second mass of infiltrant alloy on the first mass of hard matrix particles; heating the first mass and the second mass whereby the infiltrant alloy infiltrates the first mass to form a hard composite material comprising a solid mass of the hard matrix particles bonded together by the infiltrant alloy; and forming bores in the hard composite material to form a top die plate wherein the bores are in alignment with the passageways in the main die body.