Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s7.t2.6

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.