Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s6.t2.11

v2.c44.s6.t2.11

The process of making zinc (kharparasattvapātana) from calamine (kharpara), described in *Rasacintāmaṇi* was similar to the one formulated by Yaśodhara, with one difference. Whereas Yaśodhara hits off the completion of reduction when the flame issuing from the pot ceases to be blue, Madanāntadeva directs that ‘the pot is to be taken out of the furnace, soon as white fumes begin to appear. The crucible is then to be held in an inclined position so that the lead-like essence of calamine drops on the ground’.