Application of arsenic surveying for determining the position of former mining and metallurgical constructions: an example from the Radzimowice area (Lower Silesia, SW Poland)

Abstract

Soil geochemical prospecting is becoming an increasingly important part of archaeological research. Therefore, it is possible to determine the location of various archaeological facilities that no longer exist in the study region. In this study, a morphological analysis of the “Stara Góra” deposit in Radzimowice (Lower Silesia, Poland) was performed using LiDAR DTM (light detection and ranging digital terrain model) images and historical data that describe mining in the vicinity of Radzimowice. This method identified numerous remains of centuries-old mining and metallurgical activity. The data collected were used to create a map of arsenic soil concentrations in this area. The map helped point to the exact locations of the old ore-processing facilities. Geochemical mapping was performed on a 20 × 20-m grid at a sampling depth of approximately 0.2 m. The samples were analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XRF-EDS). The highest concentrations of this element occurred near the arsenic calciner and related dumps, as well as near dumps created during extraction from the Arnold shaft. In summary, in this article, we present the possibility of using a geochemical map of arsenic concentrations in soils supported by LiDAR data for archaeological purposes.