Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s6.5

v2.c45.s6.5

Silver was described as ‘compact, clear, bright, heavy, white on cutting, soft, free from fissures, like śaṅkha (conch) in colour’ (5.26). Silver melted with lead and borax undergoes purification (5.34). The process is practically that of cupellation. Copper or tāmra used to come from Nepal (nepālaka) or some other foreign country (mlecchaka) (5.44). Nepālaka is soft, red and resistant to strong hammering.