Abstract Spinel powder having a particle size of 0.9$mu$m was calcined for 30 min at $1300^{circ}C$, followed by ball milling for 4h, to obtain the spinel particle size of 3.29$mu$m. The die-pressed spinel was presintered at $1100^{circ}C$ for 2h and then lanthanum aluminosilicate glass was infiltrated at $1080^{circ}C$ for 0~2 h to investigate the penetration kinetics in glass-spinel composite. The infiltration distance is parabolic in time due to capillarity. The strength and the fracture toughness of glassspinel composites were 317 MPa and 3.56 MPa $m^{1/2}$ respectively and dual microstructure of column (needle) and polygonal shapes as a result of recrystallization was observed due to the high calcination temperature.