History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t3.7

v1.c13.s2.t3.7

Since Silver (M.P. 962°C) has been found to occur in nature either as AgCl (Cerasgerite) or Ag₂S (Argentite) associated with Galena and/or Sphalerite or mixed sulphide ores, the extraction of this metal is said to be started in 3rd or 4th Millenium B.C. with the development of the technique of treatment of sulphide minerals viz. roasting and reduction smelting. During the extraction of lead from PbS or PbO, Ag₂S also gets decomposed and reduced easily (at 470°C) and it readily alloys with metallic lead at 1000°C hence the metallurgy of lead is being described along with this metal.