| Smelting and producing wrought iron was known in ancient Europe and the Middle East, but iron was produced in bloomeries by direct reduction. |
| A potash kiln and two iron bloomeries show that industrial activity continued in medieval times. |
| The Catalan forges can also be built bigger than natural draught bloomeries. |
| Historically, charcoal was used in great quantities for smelting iron in bloomeries and later blast furnaces and finery forges. |
| There were already iron bloomeries and forges on Pensnett Chase by the end of the Tudor period, exploiting the rich seams of ironstone below. |
| Steel was known in antiquity, and possibly was produced in bloomeries and crucibles. |
