Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c5.23

c5.23

The superintendent was guided in his work of prospecting by his knowledge of the signs and properties of the mineral ores. He had to pay particular attention to the depth of colour, weight, smell, taste, oiliness, adhesiveness, power of amalgamating with particular metals, and several other mechanical and chemical properties of the ores, in order to ascertain the nature and richness of a mine. We find in the Arthaśāstra the properties of several metals classified, and the large number and variety of them necessarily lead one to the conclusion that mining reached a stage far above the rudimentary, and that the persons who devoted their attention to it possessed no small power of discrimination. As an illustration¹ I quote below the passage which enumerates the signs of the different kinds of silver ores. It says that the silver ores are those which have the colours of शङ्ख, कर्पूर, स्फटिक, नवनीत, कपोत, पारावत, विमलक, मयूरग्रीवा; of सस्यक, गोमेदक, गुड मत्स्यण्डिका; of कोविदार, पद्म, पाटली, कषाय, क्षौमपुष्प, अतसीपुष्प; which are found in combination with सीस, अञ्जन, are विस (smelling of raw meat), भिन्न, श्वेताभ, श्यामा, श्यामाभ, श्वेत and लेखाबिन्दुचित्र; do not split, and emit much foam and smoke. Similarly, we find mentioned the properties of the ores of gold, float-gold, bitumen, copper,² lead,³ tin, iron, etc. It is apparent from this that the classification is an elaborate one, and the industry in Chandra Gupta’s time reached an advanced stage.