History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c12.s1.7

c12.s1.7

(*d*) Copper-arsenic alloy was employed as a substitute for low grade bronze. Presence of lead in copper and bronze tended to increase their fusibility, rendering the latter more suited for casting. But it was more probably an accidental impurity than an intentional addition. Copper ore is unknown in Sind. The nearest deposits are to be found in the countries bordering on the west of the Indus Valley. In Baluchistan rich copper ores occur at Shah Ballaul and at Robat. Here large heaps of copper slags have been found indicating ancient smelting at these sites. Perhaps the ores were mined and smelted here and then transported to the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. The evidence of the extraction of copper is still to be seen at the various village sites belonging to the Mohenjo-daro Period of history that have been uncovered in Baluchistan Deposits of copper ore also occur at Râs Kuk and the Kojak Amran range in Baluchistan In Afghanistan there are rich veins of copper in Shah Maksud range In Persia there are copper deposits at Anarek and in Kaleh Zeri (Kerman) At both these places there are evidences of extensive ancient workings The nearest copper mines in India proper are those in Rajputana These are situated near Ajmere in Sirohi, in the Mewar and Jaipur states especially those at Khetri and Singhana bear the evidence of having been worked from very early times In the copper lumps found at Mohenjo-daro the small quantities of sulphur indicate the use of the sulphide ore, which abounds in these mines, for the extraction of copper. The presence of lead in some of the copper objects is also noteworthy Copper ores associated with lead occur in Rajputana and in the Hazaribagh district, as also in Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Samples of copper ores from Khetri, Alwar, Singhbhum and Afghanistan contain both nickel and arsenic, while those from Bilaspur and Nellore are entirely free from nickel It can, therefore, be concluded that the Indus Valley copper most likely came from the Indian ores in the Rajputana district and Baluchistan, though Afghanistan and Persian sources are not absolutely ruled out