Metallurgy is known to the world as the science of preparing metal into a state of solid conductivity. The shaping or casting of objects was made possible by metallurgy. The ancient Indian civilization is believed to be the first civilization to use this process. The procedure involved in metallurgy is known to have been prevalent in the Indus Valley Civilization period. Ancient Indian art includes sculptures carved in wood, copper, bronze and other metallic materials.
There are several places of manufacturing of different kinds of metals throughout the ages in the world. Places like South America, China, Tibet, Persia and countries like Australia are famous for producing metallurgy products. The places of manufacture of copper are the Pacific Ocean, Western Central Europe, North America, Africa, Turkey and Australia. Ancient Indian literature and sculptures portray the existence of metallurgy in ancient India.
Copper is one of the earliest metals used in the practice of metallurgy. It is formed by the precipitation of tin and aluminum. Tin can be recycled to produce copper while aluminum is recovered by treating aluminum with oxygen and heating it until it becomes soft again. Bronze, lead, and gold have similar features regarding the use of metal in metallurgy. All these metals have characteristics which make them suitable for use as manufacturing elements.
In ancient times, the places of manufacturing varied in the regions of India. Some of them were located in the coastal areas of India such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. A number of places of manufacture of copper were located in the dry lands of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Places such as Jodhpur and Punjab were also known to have large deposits of this metal. The production of tin, aluminum and copper was not very high in the earlier days; hence these elements were not able to reach the places of metallurgy.
Metals such as iron and steel were used in ancient times. But the production of metal by these means involved a lot of energy and the process were very costly. After the discovery of steel, the process of manufacturing metal began to shift to more convenient methods. The process of smelting took place initially. Later on, the development of copper smelting also saw the utilization of this new process. The old ways were gradually replaced by the new ones.
There are many metals that are commonly used in metallurgy. Amongst all, steel is the most widely used substance. Its malleability and ductility make it a suitable element for metallurgy. During the time of ancient India, copper and bronze had also been used for metallurgy. But the popularity of iron and steel began to wax over throughout the centuries.
The methods of working metals during those times were not very efficient. So, various elements other than metals were used for improving upon the existing process of manufacturing metal. Copper was widely used during the ancient period as it was an excellent metal for malleability. In addition, the ancient Indian system of copper refining also saw the utilization of gold, silver and platinum.
With the evolution of metallurgy, different metals were developed for different applications. Thus, metal working techniques were developed across India and eventually, the entire region of India became known for the advancements in metal craft. Today, India is home to some of the best metal manufacturers in the world. All in all, ancient and modern metallurgy have benefitted mankind.
Archaeological finds show that the ancient Mysore kings employed the process of metallurgy in their day to day lives. Therefore, you can find many artifacts of such works of metallurgy in the present day Mysore. One of the most popular metals being refined today is the indium. It is found abundantly in deposits of uranium. You will also find other minerals like phosphorous and selenium.
Apart from these precious metals, aluminum is another popular metal being used for alloying purposes today. Aluminum is used in airplane materials, car parts and also in the manufacture of guns. There are several other metallic minerals also being used for the same purpose. In addition to these minerals, carbon is also used for alloying purposes. Carbon is commonly refined to produce fuel since it is light in weight and does not burn well.
The process of metallurgy has evolved over time as new technologies evolved in the manufacturing world. Thus, there are many modern tools used in the ancient process. Today, it is necessary to have proper metallurgy training before taking up the job. Thus, enroll yourself in some such courses that teach you the ancient techniques of metallurgy and get your career started.