Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c41.s5.4

v2.c41.s5.4

*Yavakṣāra* or barley ash (containing potassium carbonate etc.) was considered to be one of the ‘salts’ or *lavaṇas*. The group of salts or *lavaṇavarga* included salt from saline soil, from the sea, *biḍa* salt which contains apart from sodium chloride, some calcium and magnesium salts and red iron oxide, pit salt and *sauvarcala* or borax (2.15.15).