India- first in history on isolation of Zinc

Before the close of 16^th century,zinc was isolated by a process known neither to the Arab Civilisation nor the Europeans who learnt the art in the early 19^th century. It has now been suggested by archaeological excavations at Zawar in Rajasthan that Indians knew how to isolate zinc by about the 1^st century Christ.

The isolation of zinc was accompanied by another achievement, namely the manufacture of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. India seems to have discovered the freezing mixture before Europe. Saltpetre (potassium nitrate) was used for cooling water before 1580. This discovery has been attributed to Emperor Akbar.