Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 40 (2) 2012

Annotation:  The Upper Paleolithic Assemblages of Shugnou, Tajikistan Fish Bones in Odino Ritual Complexes at Preobrazhenka-6, Western Siberia Copper Mines, Chromite Copper Ores and Slags of the Ishkinino Bronze Age Archaeological Microregion, On the Origins of Decorative Traditions in the Early Bronze Age Pottery of the Middle Tobol Basin, W Suruktakh-Khaya Sanctuary, Yakutia, Revisited: Tentative Results and Prospects Early Iron Age Archer’s Finger Tab from the Eastern Amur Region Medieval (9th–13th Century) Combs from Northwestern Siberia The Masoleums of Majar in 18th-Century Descriptions and Drawings Qasar-Qurug: Western Headquarters of the Uighur Khagans and the Problem of Por-Bazhyn Identifi catio Grave Circle B at Mycenae in the Context of Links Between the Eastern Mediterranean and Scandinavia Tobolsk Enkolpion Traditional Perceptions of the Dog Among the Khakas People of the Late 19th–mid 20th Century Impact of Salmon Fishing on Livelihood and Social Relations Among the Ulchi and the Amur Nanai (Seco NULLEmotion, Identity, and Death in the Greek Tradition and Beyond On the Biological Affi nities of People of the “Lappish Parishes”: A Craniometric Analysis of the 17   

Copper Mines, Chromite Copper Ores and Slags of the Ishkinino Bronze Age Archaeological Microregion, the Southern Urals

V.V. Zaykov, A.M. Yuminov, and V.V. Tkachev.

The study addresses copper mines structure and composition of copper ores and slags at the Ishkinino archaeological microregion, Orenburg Province. Both ores and slags contain chromites derived from the host ultrabasite rock. Chromites were subdivided into three categories in terms of Cr2O3 content: 45–50 %, 50–55 %, and 55–61 %. The proportions are similar to those observed in chromites of the malachite ores of the Ishkinino cobalt-copper-pyrite deposit. The reguli found in the slag contain copper sulfi des and iron phosphides with a high content of nickel. Our results evidence the exploitation of local copper mines in the Late Bronze Age. Finds of chromite ores and slag at the archaeological sites of the Southern Urals are listed, and goals for future research are outlined.

Keywords: Copper, copper ore, slag, malachite, goethite, chromspinellide, sulfi de, ultrabasite, Bronze Age, Urals, Ishkinino.