Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages
The Oiola archeological site, located in the mining complex of La Arboleda (Biscay, North Spain) was an important iron smelting center from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages and even in more current times (19th–20th centuries). Tap-slags and some plano-convex slags were identified as smelting slag...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/4/321 |
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| author | Haizea Portillo-Blanco Maria Cruz Zuluaga Luis Angel Ortega Ainhoa Alonso-Olazabal Juan José Cepeda-Ocampo Ana Martínez Salcedo |
| author_facet | Haizea Portillo-Blanco Maria Cruz Zuluaga Luis Angel Ortega Ainhoa Alonso-Olazabal Juan José Cepeda-Ocampo Ana Martínez Salcedo |
| author_sort | Haizea Portillo-Blanco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Oiola archeological site, located in the mining complex of La Arboleda (Biscay, North Spain) was an important iron smelting center from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages and even in more current times (19th–20th centuries). Tap-slags and some plano-convex slags were identified as smelting slags. Samples were analyzed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with electron-dispersive spectroscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to perform a mineralogical and textural characterization. Additionally, thermogravimetric and thermodiffraction analyses were carried out to determine furnace operating temperatures. The mineral assemblage reflects furnace temperatures and cooling rates and the addition of quartz as the main flux to decrease the melting temperature of the iron ore. The comparison of slags from the Roman Period and the Middle Age reveals changes in the pyrometallurgical process through time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:42:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9991073aa8c54821af65975b5bee9ab0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:42:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-9991073aa8c54821af65975b5bee9ab02023-11-19T20:38:37ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2020-04-0110432110.3390/min10040321Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle AgesHaizea Portillo-Blanco0Maria Cruz Zuluaga1Luis Angel Ortega2Ainhoa Alonso-Olazabal3Juan José Cepeda-Ocampo4Ana Martínez Salcedo5Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Historical Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Cantabria, E-39005 Santander, SpainARKEON, 6, Plaza Julio Lazurtegui, 4, E-48014 Bilbao, SpainThe Oiola archeological site, located in the mining complex of La Arboleda (Biscay, North Spain) was an important iron smelting center from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages and even in more current times (19th–20th centuries). Tap-slags and some plano-convex slags were identified as smelting slags. Samples were analyzed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with electron-dispersive spectroscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to perform a mineralogical and textural characterization. Additionally, thermogravimetric and thermodiffraction analyses were carried out to determine furnace operating temperatures. The mineral assemblage reflects furnace temperatures and cooling rates and the addition of quartz as the main flux to decrease the melting temperature of the iron ore. The comparison of slags from the Roman Period and the Middle Age reveals changes in the pyrometallurgical process through time.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/4/321smelting slagsarchaeological slagsfurnace operating conditionsRoman PeriodMiddle AgeNorth Spain |
| spellingShingle | Haizea Portillo-Blanco Maria Cruz Zuluaga Luis Angel Ortega Ainhoa Alonso-Olazabal Juan José Cepeda-Ocampo Ana Martínez Salcedo Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages Minerals smelting slags archaeological slags furnace operating conditions Roman Period Middle Age North Spain |
| title | Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages |
| title_full | Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages |
| title_fullStr | Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages |
| title_short | Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from the Oiola Site (Biscay, Spain) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages |
| title_sort | mineralogical characterization of slags from the oiola site biscay spain to assess the development in bloomery iron smelting technology from the roman period to the middle ages |
| topic | smelting slags archaeological slags furnace operating conditions Roman Period Middle Age North Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/4/321 |
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