MINING AND METALS
Bronze is an alloy made from a combination of copper and tin. There are many copper mines in Ireland but no tin mines. Tin probably came from Cornwall.
Mining in the bronze age was done by building a fire in front of the ore bearing rock. The rock expanded with the heat and split when water was thrown over it. Then the bronze age chaps got in action with mauls and crushed the rocks.The crushed ores were then mixed with charcoal and heated. The copper eventually began to melt. The liquid was collected in an ingot and then worked by a smith. The remains of a bronze age charcoal burning station was discovered near Loch Derg through which one of the Labbacalle lines runs.
Mining in the bronze age was done by building a fire in front of the ore bearing rock. The rock expanded with the heat and split when water was thrown over it. Then the bronze age chaps got in action with mauls and crushed the rocks.The crushed ores were then mixed with charcoal and heated. The copper eventually began to melt. The liquid was collected in an ingot and then worked by a smith. The remains of a bronze age charcoal burning station was discovered near Loch Derg through which one of the Labbacalle lines runs.