History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t4.178

v1.c13.s2.t4.178

Thus the white cast iron got decarburized and at the same time some dephosphorization also took place. Other impurities like Si and Mn also got easily oxidized by this slag. The heat of oxidation reactions as well as generated by the combustion of ‘C’ and CO gas produced sufficient heat to separate molten metal into a separate layer, which was allowed to solidify in the furnace itself and taken out as clean thick steel plate or disk and tested for its quality by making a ‘V’ shaped cut. Probably this was the steel disk or plate of ‘Wootz’ steel ‘loaves’ exported to the West as mentioned by Yater (1983, 1983-84) and Bronson(1986).