I have been involved in research on the colonial iron blast furnaces of
Virginia. As part of my research I have noted that with the exception of
archaeometallurgists no one does more that look at slag. It is considered a
meaningless industrial waste, much like FCR on prehistoric sites. But slag was
one of the ways that an ironmaster/founder controlled the operation of his
furnace. And slag can tell us a great deal more about what went on at a
metallurgical site than the metal itself. If for no other reason than that the
slag is site specific, who would transport it. While the metal could be from
anywhere. During the conduct of my research I collected slag at the Albemarle
Ironworks (1771-72). PIXE and electron microprobe analysis has now confirmed
that the furnace went out business because of titanium in the iron ore used. To
my knowledge this is the first instance of modern slag analysis performed in
Virginia.
No metallurgical analysis has been performed either. But it is my opinion that
the reason that another furnace (Zane's Old Furnace) was closed and the Marlboro
IW built was phosphorus contamination. Lots of similar data is out there
waiting for us to get it. Archaeometallurgy needs to be part of any excavation
of a metallurgical site. Just as one does faunal and other analysis.
JH Brothers IV