Metallurgical slag from the Kent settlement (about the problem of iron producing starting on the Kazakhstan territory)

Abstract

In the paper the characteristic of the iron metallurgical slags from Kent settlement (Central Kazakhstan)
is shown. Structural and textural features of slags were established. The mineral composition is
represented by olivine, wustite, iron, and glass. The composition of the main types of minerals, metal
and glass is shown. It was supposed that as the metallurgical raw material in ancient times were used
limonite ores from Kentyube deposit where ancient mines in oxidized iron ores were found out. On
the settlement there was the early experience of iron production by metallurgists of Begazy-Dandybay
(Alekseevsko-Sargarinskaya) culture of the eastern zone of the roll ceramic common culture on the
territory of Kazakhstan. The Alat area with iron slags can be considered as the trade quarter of Kent
town where metallurgists who produced bronze foundry items of original and traditional types of
Eurasian metallurgical province, attempted to produce the iron.