Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c17.s2.t2.6

v1.c17.s2.t2.6

Chemical analysis showed that a sample of slag contained 65.1 per cent SiO₂, 10.3 per cent Al₂O₃, 9.2 per cent Fe₂O₃, 0.4 per cent TiO₂, 2.5 per cent MgO, 9.5 per cent CaO and 0.07 per cent MnO. Spectrographic determination by oxide arc technique revealed presence of Na, B and Cu in the range of 0.01-0.1 per cent and V in the range of 0.005 to 0.01 per cent. (Dutta, 1982) “The addition of borax in the process of extraction is indeed a superior form of technology. It may also be pointed out that at least in the Indian context no such report has been made, and naturally it may be said that the extraction technology in case of copper is quite superior in this region, compared to other regions of copper culture”. (Bose, 1987: 43) The analyses of slag showing presence of Mg, Ti, V etc. indicate that the typical ores in the Bengal-Bihar-Orissa border were used in smelting copper.