The catalytic hydrogenolysis(gasification) of carbon by dihydrogen in the presence of molybdenum carbide and platinum has been studied around 900 K. As indicated by X-ray absorption, the catalytic phases during the reaction were stable molybdenum carbide or slightly electron-deficient platinum. The rates of hydrogenolysis with molybdenum carbide were only slightly less than those with platinum, one of the most active metals for the reaction. However, these two types of catalyst showed different kinetic parameters and different behavior of catalyst particles during the reaction.