Methodologies for dealing with the problems of reconstructing the pyrotechnology of copper extraction and of determining the rate of copper production of a single location are suggested. To study the means of differentiating the end results of reduction smelting of oxide copper ores from sulfide smelting of sulfide copper ores begins with the examination of the structure of an idealized cross section of a weathered copper ore body. The reliability of conclusions based upon field evidence is discussed: data which may provide false interpretations of the processes are presented. The presence of sulfur in the copper metal is not significant in itself nor is the total concentration of sulfur; the sulfur isotope should indicate the source of the sulfur in the metal. Metal production rates of localized smelters can be determined by analysis of the lead/calcium ratio in human bone; environmental lead aerosols correlate to human uptake. -- AATA