In 2017, the archaeological and archaeo-metallurgical investigations in the locality of Pian de Le Lòpe concentrated on the areas known as Costa Fusina and Roggia-Est, by the Campotorondo torrent, a tributary of the Mis. At Costa Fusina, previous investigations had brought to light the foundations of a building associated with 16th century mining activity; this season room 2 was investigated. Situated uphill, it was characterised by the presence of thin stratifications of slag, the first evidence at Le Lòpe indicating a pyrotechnical production activity.

From European documents of 1500, it is known that the refinement structure was constituted by a sort of masonry-built forge abutting one wall of the room, with hearth and smelting bucket situated at c. one metre from the floor and a dividing wall tha ptrotected the bellows, which were worked by the action of a hydraulic wheel, from the fire. No traces remain of the “forge”, however the presence of hammerscale constitutes good evidence for its presence here.

In spring 2018 laboratory analyses will be carried out on samples of hammerscale with the aim of confirming whether or not, as the complex seems to suggest, room 2 was in fact used for refining copper.
The work undertaken here must have been the final stage that is the refining of the copper.
The zone defined as Roggia Est, on the right of the torrent, was the area used for roasting the copper concentrate, with the presence of “roasters”, which it is presumed were cut on the eastern side by alluvial events. During the 2017 campaign, the layer of burnt earth constituting the original floor of one of the roasters was reached, and on the north and west sides, the containing border of the roaster itself was uncovered.

Burnt earth, copper and iron oxides and charcoal-rich soil were present in the area surrounding the excavated zones to the west of the roasters. This was probably the residue from the cleaning of the mineral after the roasting and before actual smelting. To the south of the roasters, moving uphill, part of a section was cleaned in which there were clear layers of gravel turned violet by the percolation of iron oxides, and limestone cobbles covered with a veil of malachite caused by the percolation of copper-based acids.
The stratification, in part similar to the terrain found below the roasters, suggests that copper minerals were worked on the surface above.