Uso de mercurio para el beneficio de yacimientos secundarios de oro en época romana. ¿Realidad o ficción?

  1. Javier Fernández-Lozano 1
  2. Antonio Nsue Nnandong
  3. Sofía Rivera
  4. José María Esbrí Víctor
  5. Rosa María Carrasco González
  6. Javier de Pedraza Gilsanz
  7. Antonio Bernardo Sánchez
  8. Pablo León Higueras Higueras
  1. 1 Universidad de León
    info

    Universidad de León

    León, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02tzt0b78

Journal:
Geogaceta

ISSN: 0213-683X

Year of publication: 2021

Issue: 69

Pages: 75-78

Type: Article

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Metrics

SCImago Journal Rank

  • Year 2021
  • SJR Journal Impact: 0.135
  • Best Quartile: Q4
  • Area: Geology Quartile: Q4 Rank in area: 241/275

Scopus CiteScore

  • Year 2021
  • CiteScore of the Journal : 0.6
  • Area: Geology Percentile: 15

Abstract

One of the major controversies in the geo-archaeological study of Roman gold mining concerns the use of mercury (Hg) amalgama- tion 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 un- der which its use was justified in the recovery of gold from placer de- posits. In this article a soil geochemical study has been conducted to confirm its use in the gold recovery process within this type of exploi- tations. 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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