The beginning of copper mass production in the western Alps: the Saint-Veran mining area reconsidered

David Bourgarit (1) , Pierre Rostan , Emilien Burger (2) , Laurent Carozza (3) , Benoit Mille (1) , Gilberto Artioli (4)

1 PréTech - Préhistoire et Technologie
2 EDF - EDF
3 GEODE - Géographie de l'environnement
4 Unipd - Università degli Studi di Padova = University of Padua

In the Early Bronze Age copper production increases dramatically, yet in Western Europe little data is available on linked mining and smelting activity. In the area of Saint-Veran, Hautes-Alpes, ancient mining works testify to large-scale production, estimated at some seven tons of metallic copper per year. The associated smelting site, dated to the end ofthe 3rd millennium BC, shows particularly advanced technological skill. The mineralogy at Saint-Veran is an exceptionally massive and virtually single-phase deposit. As a consequence, very little beneficiation is required to achieve high-grade ore. The exploited ore is mainly bornite, Cu5FeS4, which is a particularly copper-rich mineral, compared to the more usual chalcopyrite, CuFeS2. Recent surveys have found large amounts of native copper in the ancient mine spoil heaps so native copper was probably exploited, maybe before the Early Bronze Age. The slag morphology and composition is also discussed. Saint-Veran has thin, homogenous low-viscosity slags, similar to the Plattenschlacke recorded during the Middle to Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Alps. This combination of factors must surely have influenced the early start of copper mass production.

Keywords: Copper production; Early Bronze Age; Saint Veran; French Alps

Domains: Archaeology and Prehistory

David Bourgarit, Pierre Rostan, Emilien Burger, Laurent Carozza, Benoit Mille, et al.. The beginning of copper mass production in the western Alps: the Saint-Veran mining area reconsidered. Historical metallurgy, 2008, 42 (1), pp.1-11. ⟨hal-03196741⟩