David Dungworth Harriet White

Abstract

Recent archaeological recording at William Champion’s zinc and brass manufactory at Warmley (NGR ST66927283) has allowed the investigation of materials related to the distillation of zinc. William Champion obtained a patent for the production of zinc by a distillation process in 1738 and was producing zinc on an industrial scale from the 1740s. The Champion process enabled the production of zinc-rich yellow brasses which were widely used by the Birmingham ‘toy’ industry. The materials examined include
a fragment of a refractory vessel and a residue from zinc distillation. The results highlight the limitations of many patents of this period but provide some indications of how the distinctive process residues generated by zinc distillation can be recognised.

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How to Cite
Scientific examination of zinc-distillation remains from Warmley, Bristol. (2021). Historical Metallurgy, 41(1), 77-83. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/223
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