I just looked it up on Google and this is what I found.
A bloomery is a furnace in which iron ore is smelted and from which metallic iron is produced. There are a set of complex chemical processes that take place within the furnace which separate the metal from the other materials in the ore. I will omit a technical explanation of the chemical processes, but attempt to describe in detail what a bloomery is and what goes on within the furnace. What follows is a summation of the smelting process, so please keep in mind that I will not refer to specific evidence for processes or raw materials until later.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Travis, John" 
Date: Thursday, October 5, 2006 12:58 pm
Subject: Re: [NYHIST-L] 19th century bloomery
To: [log in to unmask]

> What's a BLOOMERY?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State
> history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of George 
> McNultySent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 7:08 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [NYHIST-L] 19th century bloomery
> 
> 
> I am attempting to map a site in Westport, Essex County, 
> containing a 
> mid 19th century water powered bloomery. A deed of 1890 (ten 
> years after 
> the bloomery ceased operation) makes a reference to a property 
> corner as 
> being at “the bulkhead of W. P. and P. D. Merriam’s forge”. Can 
> someone 
> explain the relationship of a bulkhead to a forge for me?
>