Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c39.s3.4

v2.c39.s3.4

Monier-Williams’s suggestion regarding kāns (to shine or to glitter) as the root for kastira cannot be altogether ignored specially in view of the strong possibility that this root might have led to the famous word kaṃsā which stands for the copper-tin alloy bronze, also known as bell-metal or white copper. The word kaṃsā has been generally used to indicate copper alloys, not necessarily containing tin. Just as trapu has sometimes denoted (erroneously) lead, similarly kaṃsā has often stood for brass (copper-zinc alloy) or copper-arsenic alloy. The Sanskrit name for arsenic mineral löllingite is kāṃsya vimala.