Pioneer Iron Production
Posted by: 
brwhiz
N 37° 35.986 W 113° 26.992
12S E 283727 N 4164231
This Historical Marker is mounted on a steel post near some building ruins inside Old Iron Town State Park Historic Site on Iron Town Road southwest of Utah Highway 56, west of Cedar City, Utah.
Waymark Code: WMGNN0
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 03/24/2013
Views: 4
Pioneer Iron Production
Producing iron in the 19th century began with the combination of raw ore and a mixture of fuel and limestone. This was called a "charge" which "burdened" the furnace.
Charcoal was the fuel of choice at Iron City, created by burning or smoldering wood in an oxygen-free environment. Workers at Iron City used charcoal because wood was readily available and it produced a softer, more pliable piece of iron.
Limestone served as a catalyst in melting iron ore and removed impurities. When the ore mixture was heated in the furnace, it separated. The heavier iron sank to the bottom while the impurities bound to the limestone rose to the top as "slag."