Hi Martin,
I think I have some other web based articles which will need digging out.
I've emailed the author to ask for details of his paper, which I've not
seen. I have also reflected your questions on understanding how they came to
conclude that it was from smelting.
There has also been some work on Bronze Age mining based on the same
information, I'll try and track that one down too. I've not seen the Rio
Tinto paper, what's the URL?
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Martin Roe
Sent: 12 March 2003 14:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: lead production in the Roman period
Having searched on Google i have found out a little more about this work but
i have still not seen a fully referrenced paper detailing their
methodologies and results. They have used isotope analysis for three
purposes,
1. to establish a baseline for background levels.
2. to show deviations from this baseline.
3. to suggest that lead/silver production at Rio Tinto in Spain was the
source.
It is very convenient that they link it to a well known site rather than say
a region.
I would suggest that you would need to look for more than lead isotopes to
prove that this came from smelting. As i understand it the radioactive decay
of the isotopes will not be altered by smelting and therefore you could get
the same results from lead ore.
This kind of work involves lots of statistics and you know what they say
about statistics!
Martin Roe
Conservation Officer NAMHO
National Association of Mining History Organisations http://www.namho.org
Lead Mining in the Yorkshire Dales
http://www.mroe.freeserve.co.uk
The Industrial Heritage of Calderdale
http://www.halifaxcouriertoday.co.uk/ftpinc/calderheritage
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