CiteULike is a free online bibliography manager. Register and you can start organising your references online.

The Production of Copper-Arsenic Alloys (Arsenic Bronze) by Cosmelting: Modern Experiment, Ancient Practice Export

Journal of Archaeological Science, Vol. 26, No. 5. (May 1999), pp. 497-526.

Citation Format

[Posts]

View FullText article


X Reviews [Write a review of this article]

X Notes for this article

florecat has 0 private notes and 1 public note for this article.

imprimé

florecat (public note) - 2006-11-07 17:33:43

X Find related articles from these CiteULike users

X Find related articles with these CiteULike tags

X Posting History

X Abstract

Cosmelting experiments to produce copper-arsenic alloys were carried out by Lechtman in 1984. The experiments included crucible and furnace smelting techniques utilizing ores collected in the Peruvian Andes. Smelting charges consisted of mixtures of copper oxide ore with either copper sulpharsenide or iron sulpharsenide ore. The experimental furnaces were constructed to resemble furnaces excavated at Batan Grande, a large ore smelting site on the Peruvian north coast where copper-arsenic alloys were produced during the Middle Horizon and later.The cosmelting experiments yielded coherent copper-arsenic alloy ingots over a wide range of oxide: sulpharsenide ore mixtures. Crucible/furnace charges containing ratios of between 2:1 and 4:1 oxide:sulpharsenide mineral produced clean metal, fully separated from slag or matte byproducts. The sulphide ores were not roasted prior to smelting; no flux was added to the charges.Study of the metal ingots, mattes, and slags helps determine the chemical and thermodynamic reactions and the phase separation mechanisms that took place inside the smelting enclosures. The copper-arsenic alloys found in ancient artefacts could have been made easily, deliberately or accidentally, by cosmelting procedures.


X BibTeX record

X RIS record


Privacy Statement | Terms & Conditions
CiteULike organises scholarly (or academic) papers or literature and provides bibliographic (which means it makes bibliographies) for universities and higher education establishments. It helps undergraduates and postgraduates. People studying for PhDs or in postdoctoral (postdoc) positions. The service is similar in scope to EndNote or RefWorks or any other reference manager like BibTeX, but it is a social bookmarking service for scientists and humanities researchers.