Bloom
Archaeometallurgy, Guidelines for Best Practice, published by Historic England in 2015, defines bloom as: ‘…the lump of iron that forms inside an early iron smelting furnace. The bloom formed below the metaling temperature of the metal and so has a spongy appearance.’
The term ‘bloom’ may also refer to algal bloom, a rapid increase in the presence of algae in freshwater or marine water systems often characterised by the discolouration of the water. Harmful algal bloom (HAB) contains organisms that can significantly lower oxygen levels in water, resulting in the loss of marine life.
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