i want to learn how to do primitive iron smelting. from the ground up ,from finding my own ore to building a primitive charcoal fired smelter to make primitive arrowheads. any information on finding ore in northern california? thanks flint.

well, the easiest ore to identify reliably is magnetite as it's magnetic(hence the name). look for geological surveys of your area as they should identify likely areas for iron ore.

 

as for smelting, remember that you will need to mix some charcoal with the iron ore(don't set the mixture on fire itself though you need the carbon to be carbon as long as possible.

 

for the furnace itsself, the easiest solution would probably be a partially burried clay pot with a smaller pot inside and burning charcoal surrounding it. i've had success reaching similar temperatures using this method (although my pots weren't burried so i had to insulate them).

 

you will want to get yourself a pair of bellows(or make them yourself if you want) otherwise you will not reach the required temperatures very easily.

 

you might want to start off with making bronze. its easier to do as it doesn't require as high a temperature.

thankyou insane-alien for the information on iron smelting. flint.