Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province
The current research on metallurgical remains from scientific excavations in northeast Yunnan from the Bronze Age period is insufficient. In order to study the smelting technology of the Bronze Age in north-eastern Yunnan, samples of slag and mineral excavated from the Yubei Di site in Dongchuan wer...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Metals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/4/707 |
| _version_ | 1797604316054290432 |
|---|---|
| author | Shuoyang Li Xiaocen Li Rong Zhu Yanxiang Li |
| author_facet | Shuoyang Li Xiaocen Li Rong Zhu Yanxiang Li |
| author_sort | Shuoyang Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current research on metallurgical remains from scientific excavations in northeast Yunnan from the Bronze Age period is insufficient. In order to study the smelting technology of the Bronze Age in north-eastern Yunnan, samples of slag and mineral excavated from the Yubei Di site in Dongchuan were examined. Based on the outcome of the characterization analysis, a simulation was executed utilizing the software Factsage 7.1 in order to generate a phase diagram that accurately portrays the melting procedure. This simulation aimed to produce the most credible representation of the phase transition by employing computational methods. Characterisation methods included Metallographic Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy Dispersive Spectromicropy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Radiocarbon Date (14C dating). The results showed that there was much copper ore left in the slag of the site. Most of these copper ores were in the form of copper ferrite or cuprous oxide. The copper ore was copper oxide ore, and metal copper particles appeared in a small amount of the slag. Most of the slags unearthed from the site of the Yubeidi site were products of sulfur-containing oxide reduction and smelting into copper. Based on the outcomes of the simulations, it was established that the slag excavated from the Yubeidi site was mainly from the reduction and smelting process of sulphur-containing copper oxide minerals into copper, without consciously adding fluxes, not having mastered the slag-making techniques for different types of copper ores, and with primitive techniques. The carbon 14 dating results show that the age of the slag was during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:44:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-782c5be297cd4805b3e477cbc79ef4bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:44:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-782c5be297cd4805b3e477cbc79ef4bc2023-11-17T20:26:33ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012023-04-0113470710.3390/met13040707Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan ProvinceShuoyang Li0Xiaocen Li1Rong Zhu2Yanxiang Li3Institute of Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaCultural Heritage Protection and Scientific Cognition Research Base, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaSchool of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaInstitute of Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe current research on metallurgical remains from scientific excavations in northeast Yunnan from the Bronze Age period is insufficient. In order to study the smelting technology of the Bronze Age in north-eastern Yunnan, samples of slag and mineral excavated from the Yubei Di site in Dongchuan were examined. Based on the outcome of the characterization analysis, a simulation was executed utilizing the software Factsage 7.1 in order to generate a phase diagram that accurately portrays the melting procedure. This simulation aimed to produce the most credible representation of the phase transition by employing computational methods. Characterisation methods included Metallographic Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy Dispersive Spectromicropy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Radiocarbon Date (14C dating). The results showed that there was much copper ore left in the slag of the site. Most of these copper ores were in the form of copper ferrite or cuprous oxide. The copper ore was copper oxide ore, and metal copper particles appeared in a small amount of the slag. Most of the slags unearthed from the site of the Yubeidi site were products of sulfur-containing oxide reduction and smelting into copper. Based on the outcomes of the simulations, it was established that the slag excavated from the Yubeidi site was mainly from the reduction and smelting process of sulphur-containing copper oxide minerals into copper, without consciously adding fluxes, not having mastered the slag-making techniques for different types of copper ores, and with primitive techniques. The carbon 14 dating results show that the age of the slag was during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/4/707copper smelter slagphase diagramsthermodynamic simulation calculationarchaeometallurgycopper oxide ores |
| spellingShingle | Shuoyang Li Xiaocen Li Rong Zhu Yanxiang Li Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province Metals copper smelter slag phase diagrams thermodynamic simulation calculation archaeometallurgy copper oxide ores |
| title | Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province |
| title_full | Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province |
| title_fullStr | Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province |
| title_short | Thermodynamic Calculations of Direct Reduction Smelting Technology of Copper Oxide Ores Based on Smelting Slag from the Yubeidi Site, Yunnan Province |
| title_sort | thermodynamic calculations of direct reduction smelting technology of copper oxide ores based on smelting slag from the yubeidi site yunnan province |
| topic | copper smelter slag phase diagrams thermodynamic simulation calculation archaeometallurgy copper oxide ores |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/13/4/707 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuoyangli thermodynamiccalculationsofdirectreductionsmeltingtechnologyofcopperoxideoresbasedonsmeltingslagfromtheyubeidisiteyunnanprovince AT xiaocenli thermodynamiccalculationsofdirectreductionsmeltingtechnologyofcopperoxideoresbasedonsmeltingslagfromtheyubeidisiteyunnanprovince AT rongzhu thermodynamiccalculationsofdirectreductionsmeltingtechnologyofcopperoxideoresbasedonsmeltingslagfromtheyubeidisiteyunnanprovince AT yanxiangli thermodynamiccalculationsofdirectreductionsmeltingtechnologyofcopperoxideoresbasedonsmeltingslagfromtheyubeidisiteyunnanprovince |