Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c41.s6.5

v2.c41.s6.5

Similarly, the silver ore described in the Arthaśāstra (2.12.6) seems to be a complex sulphide ore containing silver: “colour of a conch-shell, camphor, vimalaka (pyrite?) sasyaka (copper sulphate, an oxidation product of associated copper sulphide), containing lead (galena), añjana or antimony (as sulphide), smells like raw meat (smell of sulphur), ores which are disjoined (cube-shaped particles of cleaved galena), grey or blackish white (colours of galena, argentite or tetrahedrite); when roasted do not split, but emit much foam and smoke (galena and argentite evolve SO₂ gas, and galena forms white incrustation of lead oxide or charcoal)”.