Name 1
PANEL EXPLICATIVO HORNOS DE REVERBERO
Name 2
PANEL EXPLAINING THE REVERBERATORY FURNACES
ID number
001.70.Almadén
Manager / Administrator
Reyes Ávila Bercial, Cerco San Teodoro, s/n, 13400-Almadén (Ciudad Real)
Ownership
Public
Institution
Minas de Almadén y Arrayanes, S.A
Local / Original ID Number
001.001.003.294
Type of Object
Smelting
Description
Short description
"These furnaces were used in Almadén between the beginning of the 16th century and the mid-17th century. They were brick and mud furnaces where the metal was roasted and melted, and were covered with a dome; under the latter, there was the “convict”, which was placed above the cauldron.
The phases of this furnace were:
1st – The pots with the ore, being uncovered, are introduced into the furnace
2nd – The hemispherical dome furnace is hermetically sealed.
3rd – The floor of the furnace has a drop slightly towards the centre and it is there where the mercury is deposited, much like at the bottom of a pot.
4th – Once the roasting is done and the furnace is cooled, the mercury is obtained.
5th – The great drawback of these furnaces was the serious intoxication (quicksilver poisoning) that the workers suffered when entering the interior to recover the mercury.
This furnace system is still discontinuous."
The phases of this furnace were:
1st – The pots with the ore, being uncovered, are introduced into the furnace
2nd – The hemispherical dome furnace is hermetically sealed.
3rd – The floor of the furnace has a drop slightly towards the centre and it is there where the mercury is deposited, much like at the bottom of a pot.
4th – Once the roasting is done and the furnace is cooled, the mercury is obtained.
5th – The great drawback of these furnaces was the serious intoxication (quicksilver poisoning) that the workers suffered when entering the interior to recover the mercury.
This furnace system is still discontinuous."
Measures
Materials
Dating
2008
Author / Producer
Minas de Almadén
Illustrations
Original use
Museum and didactic use
Present use
Museum and didactic use
Original location
Mercury Museum (Mining Park)
Present location
Mercury Museum (Mining Park)
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses /collections/links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
www.parqueminerodealmaden.es
Submitted
AYUNTAMIENTO ALMADEN
Submitted by
Alicia Escudero & Águeda Moyano
Date Submitted
26. 4. 2022
Date Edited
Never