Which risk increased when early Copper Age civilizations repeatedly smelted copper ore in the Eneolithic period?

💡 Explanation

When early civilizations smelted copper, arsenic, present as an impurity in some ores, vaporized during heating, causing arsenic exposure as it became airborne and deposited on surfaces. Therefore, arsenic exposure increased significantly, rather than variable bronze strength as bronze wasn't widely used yet, or water contamination/ore depletion, which are different, less-immediate impacts.

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