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Ancient copper smelting resulted in deforestation and air pollution due to the release of gases like sulfur dioxide.

Iron production in ancient times caused deforestation for charcoal to fuel furnaces and particulate matter emissions.

Cupellation for silver involved releasing lead and other heavy metals into the environment, causing soil and water contamination.

The use of mercury in gold amalgamation led to mercury poisoning and long-term soil and water contamination.

Ancient tin mining caused soil erosion and siltation of waterways, along with deforestation due to fuel needed for smelting.

Roman lead smelting produced voluminous slag heaps and widespread lead pollution, which can be traced in ice cores.

Charcoal was a primary fuel in ancient metallurgy, leading to deforestation and disruptions in the carbon cycle.

Bronze casting allowed advancements but resulted in deforestation for fueling and significant energy requirements for melting.

Ancient Roman hydraulic mining techniques (Ruina Montium) caused massive ecological damage through erosion and siltation.

The advent of the blast furnace in ancient China increased air pollution due to higher volumes of emissions from coal and charcoal.

Traditional forging created minimal environmental impact relative to smelting but still generated localized deforestation.

Arsenic bronze involved a toxic production process that released arsenic into the air and could cause poisoning.

Placer mining practices disturbed river ecologies and caused erosion and sedimentation downstream.

Ancient hard rock mining created extensive underground tunnels that could cause surface subsidence and altered groundwater flow.