Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s6.t1.5

v2.c44.s6.t1.5

Procedures were described for making copper metal from mākṣika (RNV, 7.12-13), vimala (7.20-21) sasyaka (7.41-44) etc., the first two are pyrites bearing copper, and the third copper sulphate. The red copper metal was compared with coccinella insect: *indragopasaṅkāśam sattvam*. Rasārṇava repeated Nāgārjuna’s recipe for making zinc (from calamine or rasaka) the metal which is ‘like tin and converts copper to gold’ (actually to brass):