Arsenical copper contains up to 0.5%arsenic which, at elevated temperatures, imparts highertensile strength and a reduced tendency to scaling. It is typically specified inboiler work, especially locomotivefireboxes.[1][2][3] It also helps prevent embrittlement of oxygen-free copper bybismuth,antimony andlead by the formation of complex oxides. Copper with a larger percentage of arsenic is calledarsenical bronze, which can bework-hardened much harder than copper.
Especially in Egyptian archaeology and ancient Near Eastern archaeology,[4] arsenical copper is used as a term for the material widely used before the beginning of theNew Kingdom, i.e. in the Chalcolithic, Early and Middle Bronze Age, for practical objects, tools, weapons, but also vessels.[5] This is because the intentionality of the production of alloy was doubted in the earlier literature, even if arsenic was detected incrucibles producing such material.[6] An industrial-scale production was demonstrated for the Early Bronze Age Iran, at the site ofArisman.[7] Recent data indicate that also in ancient Egypt, specifically in Middle Kingdom, arsenical bronze was produced intentionally, and the use of the term arsenical bronze is warranted.[8] Despite these findings, majority of researchers will be still using the term arsenical copper.
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