Presents reasons why better collaboration between research laboratory and the archaeologist is needed. There are similarities between ceramic production and those conditions which are needed to smelt metal ores. Study of resource exploitation focuses on four main elements: possible raw materials, production processes, products, and scales of the industries. Source area for ores use characteristics of color, luster, and morphology. Artifacts reflect changes in composition depending upon availability of ore sources of particular composition, i.e., working downward through a deposit. This model, however, has been challenged. Factors to consider when interpreting analyses include experimental error, segregation, corrosion, and alloying. The continuing problem of raw material collaboration is addressed.