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But the Bronze Age preceded the Iron Age...

• Lariscus 4y ago
  Bronze has a lower melting point compared to Iron making it much easier to work with. I think you also have to invent charcoal first to reach the temperatures necessary to melt iron ore.
  • pfdietz 4y ago
    Iron was originally produced without melting it at all. Instead, iron ore was reacted with reduced gases, and a flux (limestone) causes the silicate contaminants to melt instead. The solid iron that's obtained (sponge iron) is then forged into shape (and also beaten to remove residual silicates.)
    • mod 4y ago
      I googled it, and apparently we still do that, at least for some of the production.
      • pfdietz 4y ago
        Yes, direct reduced iron (DRI). We may be moving back to it, too, when we move to green hydrogen as the reducing agent.
• CydeWeys 4y ago
  But iron won out in the end. It's harder to process, but the result is better.