Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s8.t6.20

v1.c28.s8.t6.20

It is clear that there were many patterns of alloying and the five categories as stated above could be further sub-categorised. The composition probably depended upon tradition and availability of constituent metals. At present some of the modern icons in South India are made of 81 per cent Cu, 15 per cent brass and 3-4 per cent lead by weight. (Ganapathi 1990) The trace proportions of silver in the icons were probably derived from lead. Copper ingot might have contained the impurities of nickel and iron.