Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c20.s4.5

v1.c20.s4.5

Probably wood charcoal was used as fuel. The slag assayed around 50 per cent Fe₂O₃, 22 per cent silica (bound as silicate), and this indicated high wastage of iron in the slag. Two metal samples, one cut from the hoe and the other cut from a fragment of a knife were analysed; these were remarkably pure and assayed 99.76 and 99.84 per cent iron. The metal cut from the hoe was found to be much harder near the upper and lower surface of the implement (123 and 117 D.P.N. respectively), whereas the hardness varied from 99 to 107 D.P.N. in the interior of the metal. Microscopic examination of the polished internal surface of the metal revealed a laminated structure.