Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s7.t2: Copper Ore and Lead
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s7.t2
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Copper Ore and Lead
v1.c11.s7.t2.1
Such type of copper and lead ore was also found from Room 51 of DK area, section G. There the sides of the wall were one thickness of brick and its floor was neatly paved. In it was found a quantity of copper ore in small pieces, together with a little piece of lead. The excavator thought that it is quite possible that a metalsmith worked here with a furnace in the close vicinity, which has entirely disappeared. (MCK, 54)
v1.c11.s7.t2.2
A specimen of lead was found from DK area which contained no silver at all. A large circular piece of lead (L 394), 6.7 inch diameter 1.4 inch thick with bored holes was found in chamber 88 of L area. This net-sinker was probably cast in sand. (MS-II, 464)
v1.c11.s7.t2.3
Samples of copper ore and the piece of lead were found from DK area in Block I, house VI, room 51 and 52. The ore, a red oxide of copper with very little foreign material gave on analysis the following results:
v1.c11.s7.t2.4
| Copper | : | 76.15 per cent |
| Sulphur | : | 1.12 per cent |
| Arsenic | : | 0.37 per cent |
| Nickel | : | 0.23 per cent |
v1.c11.s7.t2.5
Lead : traces Insoluble matter : 4.80 per cent
v1.c11.s7.t2.6
The sulphur was present as copper sulphide. The insoluble matter consisted of silica and iron oxide. The ore is thus a copper oxide, no doubt a surface ore at the outcrop of pyrites, as it contains some sulphide. This would be easily smelted, and is particularly interesting as it contains both the key elements, nickel and arsenic, found in most of the earliest copper samples which have been examined. Tin and other metals were absent.
v1.c11.s7.t2.7
The lead sample was in the metallic form, coated with a thin layer of lead sulphate which was removed before analysis. The composition proved to be:
v1.c11.s7.t2.8
Lead : 99.70 per cent Copper : 0.15 per cent Silver : traces
v1.c11.s7.t2.9
This was a very pure specimen and must have been smelted from a pure ore. It could not have been obtained accidentally. (MCK, 599-600)