Nāgārjuna was an Indian metallurgist and alchemist. Legends recorded by Al-Biruni in the eleventh century say that he was born in the village of Daihak near in Gujarat “one hundred years ago,” i.e., at the start of the tenth century.
Born: 931 AD, Shree Somnath Jyotirling Temple, Somnath

He wrote the treatise Rasaratnakara that deals with preparations of rasa (mercury) compounds. It gives a survey of the status of metallurgy and alchemy in the land. Extraction of metals such as silver, gold, tin and copper from their ores and their purification were also mentioned in the treatise. Nagarjuna was an expert in transforming base metal into Gold and extraction of Elixir of life from mercury. He also wrote Uttaratantra as a supplement to Susrutasamhita, dealing with preparation of medicinal drugs, and an Ayurvedic treatise, Arogyamanjari. His other treatises are Kakshaputatantra, Yogasara and Yogasatak.He also wrote rashrudaya and rasadramangala.

In the mediaeval period ancient Indians achieved great progress in alchemy. There have been continuous experiments on the transformation of matter.Creating a universal elixir that would increase life span, converting base metals to another substance, especially gold, distillation, and related processes, were part of experiments. Archeological excavations at Taxila led to the discovery of artefacts pertaining to distillation of alcohol . There were at least seventy or eighty primary Sanskrit works by Nagarjuna, on alchemy. Approximately one of them printed, few of them critically edited and none completely translated. The gold shine mechanism technology is used today by the jewellery industry for imitation jewelry.It is a gift to us by Nagarjuna

The main aim of his experiments was to transform base elements into gold, like the alchemists in the western world. Even though he was not successful in his goal, he succeeded in making an element with gold-like shine. Till date, this technology is used in making imitation jewellery. In his treatise, Rasaratnakara, he has discussed methods for the extraction of metals like gold, silver, tin and copper.To date, his technology is applied in making fake jewellery. In his book, Rasaratnakara, he has explained the methods for the extraction of metals like gold, silver, tin, and copper. Legends recorded by Al-Biruni in the eleventh century say that he was born in the village of Jalgaon near in Maharashtra, at the start of the tenth century. Chinese and Tibetan literature says he was born in Vaideha desh (Vidarbha) and then migrated to the nearby Satavahana dynasty.

There is much confusion in history between Mahayana sect founder Nagarjuna and alchemist Nagarjuna. There is evidence found of his experimental laboratory in village Nagalwadi in Maharashtra state. According to some evidence he was working on immortality and knew the extraction of iron and mercury. There is much confusion about this author in the secondary literature. Works ascribed in manuscripts to an author called Nāgārjuna include Jīvasūtra, Rasavaiśeṣikasūtra, Yogaśataka, Kakṣapuṭa, Yogaratnamālā and several other works

He also wrote Uttaratantra as a supplement to Susrutasamhita, dealing with preparation of medicinal drugs, and an Ayurvedic treatise, Arogyamanjari. His other treatises are Kakshaputatantra, Yogasara and Yogasatak.
Major contributions by Nagarjuna

1.His books deal with preparation of mercury compounds
2. He described extraction of metals such as gold, silver, copper, tin from their ores and their purification
3. Described design of chemical lab including instruments to be used in the lab, shape and size of instruments and their use.
4. Described preparation of medical drugs
5. Described preparation of elixir of life -of creating medicines for increasing life span
6. Described corrosion and loss on heating,
7 Wrote on metals and their stability
8. Described preparation of yellow metal which shine like gold but not gold.