SEM, EDS AND GDOES INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORICAL FERROUS ORE AND SLAG FROM STERNMUHLENTHAL VALLEY IN THE OUTSKIRTS OFCHEMNITZ

SEM, EDS and GDOES investigations on ferrous ore and slag samples cont ribute to the local history of mining and metallurgy. Quantitative X-r ay analysis confirms the ore to be limonite. The slag consists of faya lithe and incompletely reduced ore parts (iron scale). Additional calc ium and charcoal inclusions were reactants of the bloomery process. Th e charcoal shows anatomical details of spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ). A multitude of typical trace elements was detected by GDOES both in are and slag samples. The comparison of normalised GDOES signals for a series of constituents showed that the ore from the assumed deposit (Euba) was processed in the location (Sternmuhlenthal), where the slag was discarded. The process was probably performed in the 17th century .