Mercury alloy for secondary gold ores extraction in Roman times. Fact or fiction?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55407/geogaceta102452Keywords:
roman gold mining, mercury, Eria gold district, placer ores, geochemical explorationAbstract
One of the major controversies in the geo-archaeological study of Roman gold mining concerns the use of mercury (Hg) amalgamation for gold concentration in placer-type deposits, where appears as native gold, in the form of small particles or nuggets that accumulate in the sediment. Despite the use and properties of Hg were known in Roman times, few studies have been focused on the conditions under which its use was justified in the recovery of gold from placer deposits. In this article a soil geochemical study has been conducted to confirm its use in the gold recovery process within this type of exploitations. To this end, the concentration of Hg was analyzed in sections of the washing channel (agogae), where the gold was extracted. The results indicate that Hg anomalies are associated with the collection and subsequent use of mercury, since they are concentrated in the lower sectors of the mine. This suggests the use of Hg for gold mining recovery in placer ore deposits, shedding light into the metallurgical methods used in Roman times.
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