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== Introduction ==

== Introduction ==

Metals, Minerals and ores are mentioned by the terms dhatu (धातुः) khanija (खानिजम्) and the chemistry involved is termed Khanija-rasayana (खानिजरसायनम्). A mineral is defined in modern terms as follow<blockquote>''"As we knew mineral is a naturally occurring crystalline element or a compound having definite chemical composition, and formed as a product of inorganic processes."''</blockquote>Rigveda mentions the use of copper, bronze, gold and silver while Yajurveda mentions gold, silver, copper, lead, tin and iron, indicating considerable development of mining and mineral industry even at the time of composition of the oldest literature of the world.  

Metals, Minerals and ores are mentioned by the terms dhatu (धातुः) khanija (खानिजम्) and the chemistry involved is termed Khanija-rasayana (खानिजरसायनम्). A mineral is defined in modern terms as follows<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>''"As we knew mineral is a naturally occurring crystalline element or a compound having definite chemical composition, and formed as a product of inorganic processes."''</blockquote>Rigveda mentions the use of copper, bronze, gold and silver while Yajurveda mentions gold, silver, copper, lead, tin and iron, indicating considerable development of mining and mineral industry even at the time of composition of the oldest literature of the world.  

Just like pottery, metals in antiquity is also linked to the history of a civilization. Metals were extracted and utilized in the past in stages progressing usually from the use of native metal, to those metals which could be smelted easily from ores, to those which were more difficult to smelt. The commonly used eight metals in antiquity are gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, zinc and mercury

Just like pottery, metals in antiquity is also linked to the history of a civilization. Metals were extracted and utilized in the past in stages progressing usually from the use of native metal, to those metals which could be smelted easily from ores, to those which were more difficult to smelt. The commonly used eight metals in antiquity are gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, zinc and mercury

== References ==

== References ==