【摘要】 <正> 铜是人类广泛使用的第一个金属,它的冶炼成功,宣告了石器时代的结束,进入了伟大的金属时代。我国冶铜始于何时,现在还无法确定,随着考古发掘工作的普遍开展,早期铜器正在陆续出土。前文已经述及,迄今发现的最早铜器是甘肃东乡出土的一把小刀,系锡青铜铸成,时间为公元前28世纪。在青铜冶铸术发明以前,应该存在一个过渡时代,历史上称作红铜时更多还原

【Abstract】 The discovery of how to smelt copper from its ore must stand as one of the great achievements in human history. In ancient China, the advanced copper smelting process and the extensive utilization of copper alloys played an important role in the development and expansion of productive forces and material culture.Of all the ancient copper mines excavated to date, Tonglushan is the largest and longest active. About 360 shafts and drifts with a variety of different structures and depths as well as large number of implements were exca- vated. More than ten closely identical blast furnaces dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period or earlier were found. It is estimated that the copper extracted totalled about 100 thousand tons. The slag. with its low copper content, displayed good fluidity when tapped from the furnace.Oxidized ores were used for a long time in ancient China. The smelting of sulphides was rather late. Recently an ingot proved to be a product of sulphide ore smelting in the Warring States found in Anhui Province, and an ancient mine of sulphide ore in Eastern Han Dynasty was excavated.Hydrometallurgy was originated in China. At the time of Northern Song Dynasty, the annual output of copper made by this method was as high as 500 tons. The book entitled "Essentials of Copper Leaching" is the earliest work in the world on this subject,更多还原