Isotropic pyrolytic graphite is a kind of graphite material. Because of its excellent performance, it is gradually used in aero-engine turbine shaft seals. But this material is a kind of brittle material, and it wears seriously during the cutting process. Through analysis of the process of cutting this material with PCD insert, the main wear region and the wear pattern at different cutting time were obtained. Using the scanning electron microscopy to observe the wear regions, the wear mechanism of PCD was obtained. At the first stage of the wear mechanisms were mainly mechanical wear and abrasive wear, the main wear regions were rake face and the cutting edge. With the increase of cutting distance, about 32 min later, both the depth of the crater on the rake face and the depth of micro grooves on the flank face were increased. Abrasive wear on the cutting face and the micro grooves wear on the flank face were the main wear pattern at the stable wear stage. At rapid wear stage, cutting edge was transformed from micro chipping into tool tipping. This caused by erosion wear .Experimental results indicated that the wear pattern was typical mechanical wear, abrasive wear, cutting edge erosion wear and possible adhesive wear.