Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c41.s3.1

v2.c41.s3.1

The Director of Mines or Ākarādhyakṣa was supposed to be an expert in śulvaśāstra or the mineralogical (and water) veins in the rock (2.12.1; 2.24.1). He could open a new mine or tap, the residual ore from an old mine, detected by the marks of dross, crucibles, coal and ashes’ (2.12.1). In case of some useful information about mines, gems and buried treasures, the informant was supposed to receive one-sixth part, and in case he happened to be a state employee, only one-twelfth part (4.1.51) of the treasure.