Abstract The article reviews the metallurgical processes used in the first industrial ironworks operated in Brazil, the Patriótica Iron Factory, from 1812 to 1831. It discusses its impact on the ironmaking plants that spread in Minas Gerais's state during the XIX century. The remnants of this Factory in Ouro Preto were the first industrial site listed by the Brazilian Historic Heritage Authority (SPHAN) in 1938. Vale SA, owner of the site, and the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) authorised collecting samples from two ferrous artefacts found in the old Factory, a hammer and an eyebolt nailed to the remnants of one of the reduction furnaces. The eyebolt’s microstructure suggests that this part was produced in the Patriótica Iron Factory, while the hammer’s microstructure indicates that this component was not produced in the Patriótica Iron Factory.

ResumoA presente investigação analisou artefatos de ferro coletados em dois sítios arqueológicos na Montanha de Araçoaiaba. Uma metodologia conhecida foi adaptada para investigar várias amostras coletadas na Real Fábrica de Ferro de São João do Ipanema e no sítio de Sardinha. Resultados de microanálise EDX de inclusões não metálicas foram inseridos em gráficos bivariantes. Regressão linear (com e sem a restrição de intersecção pela origem) e testes de significância do intercepto da reta foram usados para interpretar esses resultados. Essa análise não permitiu identificar a assinatura dos sistemas produtivos de Sardinha e Ipanema. A presença de inclusões ricas em Ti foi uma característica típica dos artefatos coletados no sítio de Sardinha.

AbstractThe present investigation analysed iron artefacts collected in two sites around Araçoaiaba Hill. A known methodology was adapted to investigate several samples collected at the Royal Iron Factory of São João do Ipanema and Sardinha sites. EDX microanalysis results of non-metallic inclusions were plotted in bivariate graphs. Linear regression (with and without the zero-intercept constraint) and line intercept significance tests were applied to interpret these results. The analysis did not allow the identification of the provenance of the production systems of Sardinha and Ipanema sites. The presence of Ti-rich inclusions was an unambiguous attribute of the samples collected at the Sardinha site.