Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c45.s9.14

v2.c45.s9.14

The kāntaloha, as we have explained, was the iron made from magnetitic ore, and specially magnetised. Probably it was believed that iron made from magnetite and hematite had different properties. The different types of kāntaloha merely referred to the different levels of magnetisation. The classification under headings of bhrāmaka, cumbaka etc. had existed for at least one millennium before RRS. Subandhu (~ AD 400) had mentioned these types in his work Vāsavadattā.