Question for the Blacksmiths...
 

I was watching a couple youtube videos on the process of charcoal and iron ore fired until you end up with an iron 'bloom', which is then hammered and worked into iron bar stock.
I was wondering if any of the blacksmiths do this process because I discovered a nice seam of high grade iron ore. The seam is actually still silver in color because the iron ore has not oxidized. All the pieces of the ore are around an inch or so in size. Doesn't look like there are many impurities in the ore. I did take a piece of the ore to a geologist at the U of A and was told it was about 70% iron. I wasn't sure what it was because it was silver in color. It would be easy to fill a few pails with some but it is really heavy material for the 200 yard walk and carry.

I was wondering if any of the AO blacksmiths smelt their own iron/steel starting with raw iron ore, charcoal and a furnace? If so I am wondering if any blacksmiths would be interested in a pail or two of this ore? The seam I found is 6 to 12 inches thick and who knows how long or deep into the cutbank. I wouldn't want anything for it , I just think it would be nice for a blacksmith to be able to say that their smithed items or blades are definitely "made in & of Alberta".

If a smith wants some good iron ore send me a pm. The ore is located close to Edmonton in a place where no one goes walking. Except me.

I am by no means a expert but 70% seems impressive! Makes me want to try a few experiments... I've been told that some of the ore being mined in Australia is so pure you can weld the chunks together. Is the ore you're finding quite crumbly? I've got a couple welders...

Not sure about any of this. Interesting idea. I've got a good propane forge if you wanted to try heating a chunk up and see if its workable?

I never tried hammering it but it is solid and dense. In the seam the 'rocks' are very angular indicating they have not traveled far and gotten rounded. Almost looks like you could hammer it flat as it is.

This video is a good explanation of how a bloomery furnace is made and works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSgk73-W0kY

It work be such a nice skill to go onto the land with nothing but a hammer and an anvil and make your own weaponry and metal needs with the natural materials.

Wonder if a propane forge would work. 1300 degrees celcius needed. A person needs to add a bit of material and fluxing sand as the smelting goes along. I think it takes a few hours.

hmm... might have to do some reading. I know my forge will get hot enough to melt steel (found out where the saying 'too many irons in the fire' came from)
I don't have a crucible though. Would be great to be able to say you built a knife from raw materials though. Have done some Damascus and welded cable with my forge but need to track down a crucible..

Is it possible to make a crusible as well?

If you took it to a geologist, did you get a report back on chemical composition? 70% iron isn't very promising as far as workability goes... An actual chemical analysis report would be very helpfull. Especially carbon content, which is a huge factor in what you can do with it. Cool idea though!

Hmmm :thinking-006: perplexed. Thinking that crucibles are made of everything from clay to graphite to steel. You could make the crucible out of a metal that has a much higher melting point than iron ore. Reading up on the subject and cast iron processing often uses engineered clays, also known as alumina-magnesia-silica mixtures in their crucibles and molds.

No I did not get a report but only an honest opinion from the geologist. Looking at the examples of iron ore they had in the geology display, my sample looked much more like metal. The weight/density of my sample is quite compact and heavy too.

Sounds pretty neat, is there a chance you could post a picture or two of your samples?

The seam is actually still silver in color because the iron ore has not oxidized. All the pieces of the ore are around an inch or so in size. Doesn't look like there are many impurities .

That would be most unusual, iron is very reactive and I've never heard of pure iron being found, other than meteorites. :confused: If it's that high a grade, a magnet would be the test. I"ve had similar thoughts, I've got a couple of nodules I picked up in the badlands, thinking they are Hematite, but'it isn't a simple process.

Grizz

I looked a bit today and couldn't find the piece I have. I will need to go for a walk and get a handful or two and take some pics of the seam too.

The seam is actually not too far from Thorsby. About 9 miles as the bird flies. There are some interesting places near Thorsby. I found a big dinosaur skin imprint on the side of a big sandstone rock about 4 miles from Thorsby.

You just blew my mind! I've found quite a few fossil shells around warburg and agatized petrified wood. I'm a avid rock/gem/ fossil hound

Its a neat area if you start to look close, me and my daughter took the canoe along weed creek at the edge of Thorsby when it was high thanks to the beavers, theres actually exposed coal seams right in town if you look. Its a fun area that I still need to explore more.
If one of you guys ever wants to stop by for coffee just let me know, I'm happy to talk.

A propane forge won't work for this application. In order to get it workable you not only need to get impurities out but also add carbon to the iron ore.

This is done by carbon diffusion. As the melted ore pases down alongside the burning charcoal it picks up carbon. This transforms it into steel or more accurately bloom steel. After that you can work the bloom down and fold it over re welding it to push the impurities out. I have never actually done this but as I understand it is quite a lengthy process and not terribly easy to do. But when you are done you could make one hell of an authentic Katana!

One other thing to consider is other elements contained in the ore that will prevent it's fusion and malleability. One of the old tricks of the trade; when a fellow blacksmith would visit his so called friend blacksmith, he throw a penny in the fire pot of the forge, when the blacksmith wasn't looking. The fumes from the melted penny would prevent the fibers of wrought iron or if forge welding was done; would prevent the fibers or weld from joining. This would sometimes go on for a few days! I'm guessing your case, other foreign elements would do the same. Best to stick to new or scrap known metal, be it old files, springs, etc.

A few Central AB Blacksmiths and myself are going to attempt the whole 'Bloom' process this spring.
Lots of work for a little piece of iron, but it's roots to our past is what makes it worth doing.
Contact me when you've time RB.

Is this something open to general public or extra volunteers? I'd be fascinated to see your efforts.

Same here.

Grizz

Next time you go to Weed Creek with your daughter... the creek has lots of crayfish in it in different sections. The crayfish mate in November so they start congregating in deeper holes pre-spawn in october and then stay in the deep holes to winter. I've seen some big 6 inch good enough to eat size crayfish. I think the wild mink along the creek eat pretty good. The pic is from Weed creek.
https://i.imgur.com/6IYnqTf.jpg

When I am out Thorsby way we could do a meet and greet.