Essay name: Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature
Author:
Sulekha Biswas
Affiliation: Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies the presence of Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature over three millennia, from the Rigveda to Rasaratna-Samuccaya. It establishes that ancient Indians were knowledgeable about various minerals and metallurgy prior to the Harappan era, with literary references starting in the Rgveda.
Appendix A - Scientific information on the Minerals used
17 (of 71)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
A-17
Metastibnite is an amorphous brick-red deposit of Sb253
occurring with cinnabar and assenic sulphide.
SULPHUR Element. S. Soft, yellow, resinous luster, typical smell.
Formed in voleanic, bacterial activity etc.
limestone.
Associated with gypsum,
SUNSTONE see Feldspar
SYLVITE. Potassium Chloride. KCl.
Sometimes contains sodium
Tastes like common salt but
chloride. White, Vitreous luster.
bitter.
TALC. Phyllosilicate. Mg,Si4°10 (OH) 2
Faint green, soapy. One of
the softest minerals. Hardness 1. Perfect, basal cleavage. Secti]
greasy. Pearly luster Talc could be foliated. The massive variety
This is coarse granular and
t
is called Stealite or Soapstone.
grayish green. Yields variable quantity of water on ignition.
occurs in large amount in India and China.
A related mineral is Saponite or Piotine.
It
Commonly massive.
In nodules, or filling cavities. Soft like fat, hence 'piotine',
like soap hence 'saponite'. This is hydrous silicate of magnesium
and aluminium, the latter partly replacing Mg and partly Si in the
sheet structure. Colour white to dark. Given out water very readi.
on heating and then darkens. This is unlike talc.
TINCAL
=
see Borax
