SALTS OF COPPER 



COPPER 



AND BRASS 



, Journ. Soe. Arts, 1896-7, vii., No. 65, 13. MADRAS : Heyne. Tract* on Jnd., 

 I M4. 108-17 ; Tanjore Work, Encrusted Ware, Journ. Ind. Art, 1886, i., No. 14 ; 

 Holder, Monog. Brass and Copper Wares, Madras. CENTRAL PROVINCES : Monog. 

 and Copper Ware, 1894. BENGAL : Mukhorji, Art Manuf., 1888 ; Monog. 

 us and Copper Manuf., 1894. ASSAM : Gait, Note on Copper and Brass 



in Assam, 1894; Ind. Art at Delhi, 1903, 42-62. 



COPPER SALTS. The most important is the Sulpha te Blue-stone, 

 i-thnthia (nila-tutia), mor-tuttd, mayil-tuttam, turichu, qalqand, doutha, 

 ft i. Speaking of this salt, Holland observes: "For many years 

 ritous deposits in India have been turned to account for the manufacture 

 soluble sulphates of iron and copper," as also in the manufacture of alum 

 -the double sulphate of alumina and potash. He then discusses the im- 

 ntance of the manufacture of sulphuric acid (see pp. 50-1) as a link in the 

 n of production of many of the most important chemical and metal- 

 rgical industries such as soap, glass, paper, oils, dyes, etc. He further 

 tints out that it is a by-product of such value as to admit of the 

 iclting of ores which it would be impossible otherwise to undertake. But 

 Europe the price of sulphuric acid has been reduced, during the past 

 years, from 30 to 2 a ton, and in consequence this originated such 

 rivitv and far-reaching competition as to have all but exterminated 

 ancient Indian manufacture of alum, copperas, blue-stone and the 

 ilis and akaline earths, reduced the export trade in nitre, rendered 

 smelting of copper and several other metals no longer profitable, 

 >bed the country every year of nearly 100,000 tons of phosphatic 

 tilisers, and compelled India to pay ten million sterling for products 

 lined in Europe from minerals identical with those lying idle in 

 a. Under the account of Alkalis and Alkaline Earths (pp. 50, 55) 

 will be found that this subject has been incidentally discussed already, 

 again under Coal and the Manufacture of Coke (p. 347) mention 

 11 be found of the loss to India of a valuable manure. Hence it 

 ly fairly be said that a more important and more immediate direction 

 developing India's productive resources could hardly be mentioned 

 the utilisation of her pyritous deposits by the modern economical 

 sthods pursued in Europe. As exemplifying this contention it may be 

 >inted out that the production of sulphuric acid from iron pyrites was 

 Germany 358,149 tons in 1882 and 754,151 tons in 1898. Of that 

 quantity only 25,000 tons were exported ; the balance was used up 

 the German chemical industries which within the past three-quarters 

 a century have expanded from a mere nominal value to a capitalisa- 

 m of 50,000,000. 



The manufacture of copper sulphate as pursued in India at the present 

 is on a very small scale. The knowledge of its possible production 

 m pyrites has been possessed by the people of India from a remote 

 itiquity. The pure salt is, however, imported extensively from Europe, 

 lical writers, such as Dutt, give particulars of the methods of refinement 

 sued with the salt that is to be used for medicinal purposes. These are 

 possibly of questionable advantage. Blue-stone is extensively used 

 medicine, in dyeing, and as an ingredient in one of the best-known 

 most valuable fungicides the " Bordeaux Mixture." (See Camellia, 

 ). 229.) 



Copper Acetate, Verdigris (zanydr), is manufactured by the sirkakash 

 or vinegar makers. They buy up copper filings from the coppersmiths. 

 Those are put into a jar and covered with distilled vinegar (arag). The pot 



403 



Blue-stone. 



Sulphuric Add. 



Record of 



iri'lu's 



Development of 

 India's 

 Productive 

 Resources. 



Sulphuric Acid. 



Germany's 

 Prosperity. 



Indian 



Uses of 

 Blue-stone. 



Copper 

 Acetate. 



