Phase equilibria were established in the Y-Cu-P ternary system up to 80 at.% of P at 600 degreesC. The isothermal section of the system has been built based on X-ray phase analysis of the samples. The existence of the ternary phosphides YCu3.7P2 and Y(3)Cu(7.6)p(8) has been confirmed. The new phosphide YCuP2 has been obtained. The crystal structure of this phosphide has been refined on X-ray powder diffraction data: space group Cmma, HoCuP2 type structure, a=5.28918(4), b=5.34627(4), c=9.69225(8) Angstrom, Z=4, R-1=0.048. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.