History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t3.34

v1.c13.s2.t3.34

The use of copper has been mentioned as Lohitya and Loha in Vedas and other ancient literature. This has been reviewed in great detail by Kulkarni(1989) and Joshi(1970), Bhardwaj and many others. Rasa Ratnasamuccaya gives a vivid account of the processes of extraction of copper and its use in Ayurvedic Medicinal system. In this book copper has been classified into two qualities i.e. one the pure (Red) copper from Nepal and the other impure or black copper (Malecch). The Nepal copper was of high purity (99.5%), brick red in colour and very ductile whereas the impure copper contained copper oxides and other impurities like Pb, Sn, As, Zn etc. which made it hard and brittle.