Brass production. Historical engraving of equipment used in the production of brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It is produced by heating copper and the zinc ore calamine (7) until they melted together. Taken from The Laws of Art and Nature, in Knowing, Judging, Assaying, Fining, Refining and Inlarging the Bodies of Confin'd Metals (1683), John Pettus, a translation of the work of Lazarus Erckern.