• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.581-593
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• 2018

Studies on ancient iron production technologies still have challenges to overcome, although there have been many results that have enabled us to understand these old technologies. The purpose of this study is to propose a suitable temperature condition for smelting experiments. The target for reconstruction is a smelting-smithing process in the ancient Jungwon area, and the experiment was designed on the basis of published research, such as archaeological evidence. Experiment A was performed at a low temperature to produce low-carbon iron, while Experiment B was conducted at a relatively high temperature to synthesize high-carbon iron. In addition, the low-carbon iron proved to be suitable for the smithing process. Moreover, aspects such as the microstructure and chemical composition of the slag and the surface condition of the furnace wall showed that the low-temperature smelting process was closer to the ancient method. It is important to mention the premise that the reconstruction of ancient technology can be achieved when the results of an experiment replicate the conditions of a real site. The results show that direct smelting, which produces low-carbon iron bloom under a low-temperature condition, should be the subject of smelting experiments concerning the iron production technologies of the ancient Jungwon area.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.519-532
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• 2017

Studies on ancient ironmaking technologies are primarily based on archaeological surveys and scientific analysis data, and technological systems are examined by comparing the results of restorative experiments. In this study, to examine the ancient iron production technologies such as smelting and smithing in the Jungwon area, a restoration experiment was conducted based on archaeological data, and the iron and slag, etc. produced in the experiment were analyzed. Further, the changes in physicochemical properties due to the smelting of the raw material, specifically, iron ore were determined, and the smithing process, which involves fabrication of ironwares, was analyzed along with the characteristics of each step. In the case of smelting, increasing recovery rates and production of high-quality primary iron material were important for the following processes. For the iron bars produced through the smithing process, it was found that quality improvements made by reducing physical defects such as inclusions or gas holes were more important than the composition of the iron itself. The study also yielded comparative study data for various byproducts, such as smithing slag, which could be utilized in other ironmaking technology studies.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.126-137
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• 2015

The study on the archaeological bronze artifacts in Korea has prompted much research through the analysis to determine the production technology. However, research on the smelting technology is not enough. This is associated with the lack of copper smelting and refining remains and literatures were not found. Copper smelting technology was probably developed independently, but also can not ignore the effect of the another country. Thus, many studies compared to estimate the country's copper smelting technology. In this study, smelting technology was provided and compared through the literature and smelting sites study of the domestic and foreign.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.6-25
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• 2024

This study concentrated on a report on the results of smelting experiments conducted eight times by the Jungwon National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, put together the goals and results of the operation, and examined changes in the content of experiments and in the experimental results. First, changes related to operation, such as the ratio of raw materials to fuel and the presence or absence of additives, were reviewed depending on the operation goal. In addition, the results of metallurgical analysis of raw materials, formations, and byproducts were summarized and reviewed by comparing them with materials excavated from the ruins. The operation method varied up to the eighth smelting experiment in terms of iron ore roasting, additives, and raw material/fuel ratio. After reviewing the results again, pure iron with a low carbon content began to be confirmed through metallurgical analysis. As a result, it was confirmed that the charging ratio of raw materials and fuel plays an important role depending on the purpose of production. In addition, most of the products are gray cast iron, and it was deemed that this is due to changes in the internal structure of the pig iron while it was left in the furnace for a long time. The iron was an ingot that was in a molten state even though the carbon content did not reach 4.3%, where the process reaction takes place, and it was deemed to have been caused by excessive operating temperature. Based on the previously reviewed results and the structure and shape of the experimental furnace used in other ironmaking technology restoration experiments, this study finally attempted to restore the structure of an ancient iron smelting furnace, including the furnace's upper structure. By comprehensively referring to the remaining conditions of the excavated iron smelting furnace and the characteristics of the blow pipe, the form of the ancient iron smelting furnace was subdivided into six categories: furnace wall thickness, furnace height, blower height, blow pipe size, furnace inner wall shape, and top shape, and a restoration plan was proposed. To improve the problems of the restoration plan and the Jungwon National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage's experiments that have been conducted through continuous trial and error, an experiment that reflects changes in operating methods by lowering the furnace height and controlling the blowing volume is necessary.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2017

This study produced smelting slag through the reproduction of an ancient iron manufacturing technique, with the aim of facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the process by analyzing the slag components. The research suggests an interpretation method using the ratio of the subcomponents relative to the main slag components as an alternative to existing methods. We investigated the component source within the smelting furnace from which the slag is derived by developing an understanding of the tendency between slags. Based on bivariate graph and triangular coordinate data analysis, it was found that a slag can be categorized according to its components. The groups were identified as the ore slag group(centered on the ore), and the clay slag group(centered on clay and granite soil). This research determined that it is possible to estimate the components derived from the slag, depending on which group they belong to or resemble, as shown in Figure 4~7. It was found that a comprehensive understanding of the ratio between the components was more accurate than a simple analysis of the contents, for the interpretation of ancient iron manufacturing processes. This is based on the fact that a higher ratio of $TiO_2$ was detected by the components analysis, and an analysis of all the slag showed that the value of $CaO/SiO_2$ ratio was lower than 0.4, which corresponds to the reproduction experiment condition in which flux was not used.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.297-312
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• 2017

In the ancient iron-making process, a slag former was often added so that iron and other minerals in the ore could be smoothly separated. However, there are insufficient data for judging whether a slag former was added. Thus, in this study, we conducted a smelting experiment to understand the material characteristics of a steel structure that differed depending on the addition of a slag former. It was found that the steel structure produced in the first experiment had a total Fe content of 39.45-52.94 wt%, which decreased to 34.89-38.92 wt% in the second and third experiments. CaO compounds such as calcite, gehlenite, and hercynite appeared, in addition to iron oxides, after the addition of a slag former. As a result of an assessment of whether a slag former was added by comparing the ratio between the components, it was found that the ratio of $CaO/SiO_2$ was 0.42. From a comparative analysis of $Al_2O_3/SiO_2$ and $CaO/SiO_2$, it was judged that the ratio of $Al_2O_3$ and $SiO_2$ can be utilized as an index to judge similar systems of smelting process (ore, furnace wall, and fuel).

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.16 s.16
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• pp.64-76
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• 2004

This study was performed by chemical analysis and metallographic observation. Chemical properties were analized by ICP, XRD and SEM-EDS and slag structures were observed by microscope and SEM. Total Fe amounts in A, C area of slag can be observed $39\~45\%$ by chemical analysis results. It was average of acient times. CaO was $3\~8\%$. It's not plentiful but we think that was artificial. Ti was found in A area a little, and Ti, V were found in C area so much. The compounds, as if Fayalite, Wustite, Magnetite, Ilmenite, Pseudo-brookite, Ulvospinel, Forsterite, Fephroite, Olivine were observed in the result XRD. These structures were also observed in microscope and SEM image. Therefore, The furnance of A area usually used an iron mine, An Iron furnance of C area considered it which refined using a raw iron mine and a raw iron sand.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2020

In the present article, we have analyzed five slags excavated from the Unified Silla period iron smelting site, i.e., location 4-2 of the Inje Bupyeong-ri site, to investigate the iron smelting process. The total Fe content of the slag excavated from the Inje Bupyeong-ri site ranged between 3.65 and 23.78 wt%, lower than that of typical slag, and deoxidation agent of the slag ranged between 65.92 and 88.96 wt%, higher than that of typical slag. These results suggest that the recovery rate of iron was significantly high. Furthermore, cristobalite was detected in most of the samples, and the furnace temperature, estimated by substituting the analyzed data into the FAS and FCS state diagrams, was confirmed as 1,600℃ or more. These results suggest that the operation at the Inje Bupyeong-ri site was performed at a temperature capable of producing cast iron by completely melting the carbon-containing iron. Observation of the microstructure showed that the iron fragments excavated at the Inje Bupyeong-ri site were identified as white cast iron. Steadite from the ternary iron-carbon-phosphorus system was observed in the white cast iron structure. These results show that indirect smelting was performed when the iron smelting by-products were produced. Based on the analysis results, it was confirmed that the Inje Bupyeong-ri site was the indirect smelting site in the Unified Silla period.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2013

This study focused on iron making related information through analyzing slags and furnace wall collected from iron production site of Suryong-ri Wonmorongi, Chungju. Total Fe content of slags were from 36.98% to 44.47% and this range was general recovery rate of iron in ancient. Compounds of calcium included slags was supposed to add intentionally during smelting process as deoxidation agent in order that these helped to separate iron from impurities. Furnace wall didn't make of high alumina clay because of low $Al_2O_3$. Microstructure and main components of slags show that No. 1 to 3 slags with fayalite and wustite were products of iron ore smelting. However, No.4 slag is more likely to smelt by iron sand because of ulvospinel with $TiO_2$ in No. 4 slag. Therefore, iron ore were not only used but iron sand in smelting and furnace wall made of general clay with low $Al_2O_3$ content in this area.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2013

This study aims at identifying the variation of physicochemical properties for galena ore in order to use it in understanding of manufacturing techniques in terms of metallurgical method and smelting or refining process for obtaining lead. The ores in the study obtained from the operating mine have been washed and pre-treated for a test. Metallic lead has been extracted by roasting process. The result displays that galena is still in present in the matt despite of exposure to high temperature, over $1000^{\circ}C$. Nearly $11.1g/cm^3$ specific gravity metallic lead has been collected from the refining test of which aim was to remove the remnant galena and a trace of concentrated silver has been identified at the grain boundary. The result suggests that at least one refining process was essential to acquire high purity metallic lead and cupellation had been executed to remove remnant silver.